During a meeting of the Common Market Council held on July 20, Mercosur agreed to reduce the Common External Tariff (TEC) rates by 10% for most of the tariff universe, subject to the exceptions that already exist in the bloc.

This is an important step to increase the competitiveness of the bloc’s countries and to strengthen regional production processes, in order to promote a beneficial insertion of Mercosur production in global value chains.

The understanding reached takes into account the different needs of the member countries, demonstrating Mercosur’s ability to move forward with a constructive vocation towards updating and adapting its tariff structure to the current conditions of regional and world trade, in a balanced way with regard to capacities block production.

This is the first horizontal review of the bloc’s tariff structure since the TEC was established in 1995. The measure applies to around 80% of the tariff universe and brings the tariff levels practiced by Brazil and other members of the bloc closer to the average practiced internationally, especially by member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The Mercosur countries also agreed to continue the work in the relevant bodies of the bloc to continue with the review of the TEC.

Source: Ministério da Economia