The Government of Brazil stated that it will continue to seek a mutually beneficial trade agreement with the United States, following a meeting between officials responsible for negotiations aimed at minimizing the additional customs duties imposed by Washington. Monday's virtual meeting was attended by the Brazilian ministers of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, and of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Márcio Elias Rosa, and by the United States Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer.
Both parties agreed to meet again at the ministerial level soon, either in person or virtually, to review progress in bilateral negotiations. This new meeting was arranged following the telephone conversation between presidents Lula and Donald Trump on August 21, in which they agreed to open a new dialogue channel and reinforce the prospect of a negotiated solution.
Washington imposed a 25% tariff on most Brazilian products as a sanction for alleged unfair trade practices by Brasília and another of 12.5% due to the alleged tolerance of Brazilian authorities regarding forced labor. Both leaders agreed that remaining at the negotiating table is the best option to resolve the crisis caused by these measures.
At Monday's meeting, the Brazilian ministers rejected the unilateral measures imposed against the country, classifying them as incompatible with multilateral trade rules. The Brazilian communiqué reiterated that the justifications presented by the United States do not correspond to actual Brazilian practices, and therefore consider the discriminatory treatment adopted against the country to be unjust.
