Brazil’s Congress has approved a measure to permanently scrap the 20% import tax on low-cost online purchases from foreign websites such as Shein, Shopee and AliExpress.
Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies and Senate approved MP 1.357/2026 on 3 September 2026 in symbolic votes, with no individual tally recorded. The measure zeros the federal Import Tax on international purchases of up to US$50. The zero rate has been in effect since May 2026, when the provisional measure was first issued, and will become permanent once President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signs it into law.
The tax was known as the taxa das blusinhas, or “blouse tax,” and applied to low-value international purchases. The change is a win for Brazilians who shop online from foreign retailers, as they will no longer pay the 20% tax on items worth up to US$50. For example, a US$50 purchase previously carried a US$10 import tax, or about R$51 at an exchange rate of R$5.09 per dollar.
The measure also cuts the tax on shipments between US$50 and US$3,000 from 60% to 30%. Purchases above US$3,000 keep their existing import duties. The Finance Ministry can also set different import tax rates by shipping method and by platform compliance, giving the government flexibility to adjust the rules in the future.
Congress had until 8 September to approve the measure or let it expire, which would have automatically brought back the 20% tax on purchases up to US$50 from 9 September. By approving it on 3 September, lawmakers met the deadline. The text now goes to President Lula for sanction. If he vetoes the measure, Congress can override the veto with an absolute majority in a joint session.
Until Lula signs the measure, the zero rate remains in effect under the May 2026 provisional measure. Once signed, the zero rate will become permanent, although the measure provides for periodic evaluations of its impact. The policy is expected to keep prices lower for Brazilian shoppers buying low-cost goods from foreign online marketplaces.
Source: The Rio Times
