Global Daily Tax News, Brazil Enacts Law Hinting At US Tariff Countermeasures, (Apr 21, 2025)

Brazil has enacted the Economic Reciprocity Law (Law no. 15,122), which empowers the Government to adopt commercial countermeasures in response to jurisdictions that impose unilateral barriers on Brazilian products.

The law, which was published in the Official Gazette on April 14, is in response to US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariff agenda.

The legislation provides the Government with a suite of options, including the suspension of trade concessions, import restrictions, restrictions on investment, and intellectual property right-related actions, with the Government directed to ensure that any policy adopted should minimize the impact on the Brazilian economy and avoid adding significant complexity for businesses.

The Government said the law "represents a strategic action by Brazil in the face of the tariffs imposed on dozens of nations by the Administration of United States President Donald Trump. In the case of Brazil, the tariff corresponds to 10 percent on top of every product exported to the North American market. For Brazilian steel and aluminum, the tariff corresponds to 25 percent, significantly affecting Brazilian companies. Brazil is the third-largest exporter of these metals to the United States."