The Brazilian government published, this Monday (20), in the DOU (Official Gazette of the Union), Resolutions No. 69 and No. 70 of Camex (Chamber of Foreign Trade) which change the rates on import tax to 0% until the end of 2021. In total, more than 110 ex-tariffs related to solar modules, inverters, trackers and motor pumps were included.
The modules that benefited include some monocrystalline and bifacial technologies, as well as some types of three-phase inverters for photovoltaic systems and components used in trackers, such as control units. It is worth noting that the measure does not affect all photovoltaic equipment, but only those that meet the specifications listed in the published document.
According to Wladimir Janousek, a specialist in technologies and production processes for photovoltaic modules, the measure will help boost business at a time when the rise in the dollar increases the costs of components for generating solar energy.
“It was a great achievement for the sector. And it has to be seen as a market achievement, not specific to one player or another, for example. Due to the rise in the dollar, some projects were delayed, however, with these ex-tariffs approved, we can resume them”, said Janousek.
Daniel Pansarella, sales manager at Trina Solar in Brazil, also highlights the importance of approving the ex-tariffs and says that the measure will contribute to the creation of jobs. “The government is doing something coherent, even more so because the national module does not have the volume of technology embarked on by high powers. In this publication, we had almost all of the requests approved based on the price criterion, but it could be considered for technology reasons”, he explained.
For Pansarella, the only “defect” is that the government is placing a customs valuation based on the PTAX (exchange rate used as a reference for the dollar exchange rate) on the day the ex-tariff request is requested.
“This time lag between the date of the request for the former tariff and its publication causes a lot of doubt and legal uncertainty for the projects that are being built. Therefore, several agencies, such as, for example, the ABSOLAR (Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy) are asking Camex to remove the valuation reference in relation to the publications”, he concluded.
Furthermore, the executive adds that companies that manufacture solar equipment in Brazil could see their competitiveness put under pressure compared to imported ones, which traditionally already have advantages in of costs.
The inclusion of new items in the list of products exempt from tariffs as ex-tariffs will take effect from August 1st.
To access the list of ex-tariffs for photovoltaic modules, click here. To obtain the complete list of ex-tariffs for inverters, trackers and motor pumps, click here.
What is the ex-tariff?
The ex-tariff consists of a temporary reduction in the tax rate on imports of capital goods, when there is no equivalent national production. The objective of this regime is to promote the attraction of investments in the country, exempting contributions directed to productive enterprises.
According to the Ministry of Economy, the importance of the ex-tariff consists of three fundamental points: it enables increased investment, enables increased innovation by companies from different segments of the economy and produces a multiplier effect on employment and income.
