Removing the costs of cargo handling services in ports (capatazia) from the import tax calculation base will generate savings of at least R$ 307.6 million by the end of the year. The calculation is from the Ministry of Economy.
The measure has been in effect since Wednesday (8), when it was sanctioned by President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and published in the Official Gazette (DOU). For 2023, the first full year in which it will be valid, the projection is for savings of R$ 685.6 million.
The foreman’s fee was not abolished: it will be charged, but it will not affect the customs calculation, as explained by Ennio Crispino, president of the Brazilian Association of Importers of Industrial Machinery and Equipment (Abimei), one of the sectors that will benefit.
“It still exists and will be charged to the importer, it just stopped being part of the calculation basis and will be charged separately. It remunerates the port and cargo handling costs, which need to be covered”, he points out.
Professor at the São Paulo School of Business Administration, at Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV Eaesp), Pierre Souza understands that the average reduction in collection will be 1.5 percentage points, from an average base of 11.5% to 10% .
“All importers tend to benefit from this, because it is a cost that is decreasing in importation, because it is the quotation tax that is paid by the importer. Now the calculation base is decreasing. So, there will be a decrease in the tax on the imported product”, says Souza.
Among the countries that make up Mercosur, Brazil is the only one that still calculated the charge of the customs office on the customs calculation. For Ennio Crispino, the measure will generate a price impact for consumers.
“That means, at the end of the chain, when the importer places the product’s marketing margin, as the calculation base is smaller, it should mean a lower final cost. And, consequently, the importer or whoever will distribute the product will be able to charge a lower price to the final consumer”, concludes the president of Abimei.
* Under supervision of Stéfano Salles
Source: CNN Brasil
