Mercosur doubles zero-tariff period for imports
Companies in Mercosur countries will face less bureaucracy when importing products that are not manufactured or are in short supply within the bloc. On Tuesday (Jun. 30), member countries ratified a measure that doubles the validity period of authorizations to temporarily reduce import duties to zero in situations of supply shortages.
The bloc’s member states - Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay - approved the measure during preparatory meetings for the Mercosur summit in Asunción, Paraguay.
The new rule was proposed by Brazil during its pro tempore presidency of Mercosur in the second half of 2025.
The Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services explained that the measure reduces the need to frequently renew applications, speeds up access to essential inputs and products, and aims to make the business environment more efficient.
Shortages
The shortage mechanism is used when a particular product is not manufactured within Mercosur or when regional production is unable to meet companies’ demand.
In such situations, countries may authorize, for a limited period, a reduction in import duties - usually to zero - to facilitate the purchase of the product from markets outside the bloc.
According to the Brazilian government, the measure is used primarily by companies that depend on raw materials, components, or other inputs to maintain production.
The main change to the mechanism is precisely the extension of the benefit’s validity period.
Until now, authorizations were valid for 12 months. Under the new resolution, the period is extended to 24 months.
In practice, this means that companies and governments will need to request fewer renewals, reducing administrative procedures and related costs.
The measure is also expected to provide greater predictability for supply chain planning.
Streamlining
The new regulation also revises procedures to streamline the review of applications submitted by member countries.
In addition to revising evaluation deadlines, Mercosur will begin using an electronic system to process applications, replacing bureaucratic steps with digital procedures.
According to the Brazilian government, digitalization is expected to speed up the review of applications and improve the efficiency of request management.
New resolution
The resolution approved on Tuesday replaces the previous one, which has been in effect since 2019. The ministry stated that the changes are part of Mercosur’s modernization agenda and have the following objectives:
- to improve the business environment;
- to reduce bureaucracy;
- to facilitate access to inputs when there is a shortage of supply within the bloc.
Before taking effect, the resolution must still be incorporated into the legal systems of each member state, in accordance with Mercosur rules.
