The decision to reimpose the import tax will be officially announced at the Gecex (Executive Management Committee) meeting on October 17
The government will again impose import taxes on 596 items that were included in the socalled “Covid list” during the pandemic. At its peak, this list included 646 health products that did not pay taxes upon import. The aim was to avoid shortages during the health emergency.
Gecex (Executive Management Committee), which is responsible for these definitions, will hold a meeting on October 17 to work out the decision. The request came from the Ministry of Health but is supported by Industry and Commerce led by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin.
“During the pandemic, it was justified to abolish the import tax to prevent the risk of shortages. The pandemic is over,” Vice President Geraldo Alckmin said during the Esfera Group meeting on September 27.
Without taxes
Products from 8 categories remain exempt from tax. Items include parenteral nutrition and a dialysis kit.
The import tax exemption remains in two cases:
Internally, the issue is treated as the return of a regulatory tariff. The MDIC has not made any calculations on the revenues, which are considered low for these products. There will be more bureaucracy.
“During the pandemic, people began to understand why it is important to have a national pharmaceutical industry. “China and India suspended their exports at the height of the crisis,” said FarmaBrasil President Reginaldo Arcuri.
According to him, it is not only an incentive for production, but also a way to achieve what he calls “health security”, in reference to the possible need for medicines in global emergencies.