It is essential to have all customs documents filled out correctly and completely. One must also have a capable and proven customs broker for the Brazilian market. Products can and often do get delayed for various reasons, including minor errors or omissions in paperwork. Products held at Customs in Brazil can be assessed high fees and Brazilian Customs frequently seizes shipments that appear to have inaccurate documentation. Customs has the right to apply fines and penalties at its discretion. For specific information on customs regulations in Brazil, please contact the appropriate sector specialist.  The Customs website is located here.

The GOB established a computerized information system to monitor imports and to facilitate customs clearance known as the Foreign Trade Integrated System (SISCOMEX), which has reduced the amount of paperwork previously required for importing into Brazil. Brazilian importers must be registered in the SECEX Export and Import Registry and receive a password given by Customs to operate the SISCOMEX. The SISCOMEX online registry creates electronic import documents and transmits information to a central computer.

SISCOMEX has been improved by the Foreign Trade Single Window (SW) Program, which is a tool for centralizing and allowing for electronic submission of import and export documentation.  The Single Window program reduces the customs clearance of maritime shipments to less than ten days, benefitting more than 40,000 importers.

Use ePing to review proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures 

The ePing SPS&TBT platform (https://epingalert.org/), or “ePing”, provides access to notifications made by WTO Members under the Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), distributed by the WTO from January 16, 1995 to present.  ePing is available to all stakeholders free of charge and does not require registration unless the user wishes to receive customized e-mail alerts.  Use it to browse notifications on past as well as new draft and updated product regulations, food safety and animal and plant health standards and regulations, find information on trade concerns discussed in the WTO SPS and TBT Committees, locate information on SPS/TBT Enquiry Points and notification authorities, and to follow and review current and past notifications concerning regulatory actions on products, packaging, labeling, food safety and animal and plant health measures in markets of interest. 

Notify U.S., operated and maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) since 2003 to distribute and provide access to notifications (and associated draft texts) made under the WTO TBT Agreement for US stakeholders, has reached its end of life.  Per obligation under the TBT Agreement, each WTO Member operates a national TBT (and an SPS) Enquiry Point.   National TBT Enquiry Points are authorized to accept comments and official communications from other national TBT Enquiry Points, which are NOT part of the WTO or the WTO Secretariat.  All comment submissions from U.S. stakeholders, including businesses, trade associations, U.S domiciled standards development organizations and conformity assessment bodies, consumers, or U.S. government agencies on notifications to the WTO TBT Committee should be sent directly to the USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point.  Refer to the comment guidance at https://tsapps.nist.gov/notifyus/data/guidance/guidance.cfm for further information.

Brazil has a strong regulatory regime, strict rules regarding standards, and an active cohort of standards organizations. INMETRO is the operating arm of Brazil’s standards regime, led by the National Council of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (CONMETRO). The council is formed by a group of eight ministries and five governmental agencies. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) also has Brazil-related standards information via its Standards Portal.