BRAZIL TRADE DIRECTORY ON DISK





BRAZIL - INTL MAIL ORDER ALLOWED - 
SUMMARY

This article is derived from a telegraphic report dated 24 April 1992,
prepared at the American Consulate - Sao Paulo.  It discusses new
regulations regarding international mail order in Brazil.  



24 APR 92

AMCONSUL SAO PAULO

SUBJECT: IMI BRAZIL: INTERNATIONAL MAIL ORDER COMES TO
BRAZIL

1.  SUMMARY: AMERICAN FIRMS CAN NOW SELL THEIR PRODUCTS
TO BRAZIL BY MAIL ORDER CATALOG.  LONG CLOSED BY FOREIGN
EXCHANGE RESTRICTIONS THIS MAJOR MARKET IS NOW OPEN FOR
MAIL PURCHASES OF UP TO USD 500 PAYABLE BY INTERNATIONAL
CREDIT CARD, INTERNATIONAL POSTAL MONEY ORDER OR BANK
DRAFT.  REGULATIONS IN FORCE SINCE MARCH 13, 1992, ALLOW
THE IMPORT OF PRODUCTS UP TO THE VALUE OF USD 500 WITHOUT
AN IMPORT LICENSE.  PRODUCTS UP TO THE VALUE OF USD 50
ARE DUTY FREE.  COMPUTER SOFTWARE UP TO THE VALUE OF USD
1000 CAN ALSO BE IMPORTED BY MAIL FOR A SINGLE UNIT.
PRODUCTS IMPORTED BY MAIL CANNOT BE RESOLD.  END SUMMARY.
2.  THE SIMPLIFIED IMPORT SYSTEM INTRODUCED BY THE
BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT ON MARCH 13 (NORMATIVE INSTRUCTION
NO. 32) ALLOWS THE IMPORT OF PRODUCTS UP TO THE VALUE OF
USD 500 BY MAIL, WITHOUT THE REQUIREMENT OF AN IMPORT
LICENSE.  INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATIONS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THIS SYSTEM TO IMPORT GOODS FOR THEIR OWN USE.
IMPORTS OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE PROHIBITED OR SUBJECT TO
SPECIAL REGULATIONS MUST STILL COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE
BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT PROVISIONS.
3.  IMPORTS BY INDIDUALS UP TO THE VALUE OF USD 50 ARE
DUTY FREE.  WHEN THE VALUE EXCEEDS THIS LIMIT IMPORT
DUTIES WILL BE CHARGED BASED ON THE FOB PRICE OF THE
PRODUCT.
4.  PARCELS VALUED AT LESS THAN USD 50 ARE DELIVERED TO
THE PURCHASER'S ADDRESS.  PARCEL ORDERS ABOVE THIS VALUE
CAN BE PICKED UP AT THE POST OFFICE UPON PAYMENT OF
IMPORT DUTIES.
5.  NEWSPAPER, BOOKS AND MAGAZINES ARE EXEMPT FROM IMPORT
DUTIES REGARDLESS OF THEIR VALUE.
6.  IDENTICAL PRODUCTS SENT FROM THE SAME SOURCE ABROAD
TO THE SAME PERSON OR ADDRESS IN BRAZIL IN A PERIOD LESS
THAN 90 DAYS ARE CONSIDERED PART OF THE SAME SHIPMENT AND
SUBJECT TO CONFISCATION.  MEDICATION IS CONSIDERED AN
EXCEPTION TO THIS RULE.
7.  PAYMENT CAN BE MADE EITHER BY AN INTERNATIONAL CREDIT
CARD, AN INTERNATIONAL MONEY ORDER OR BANK TRANSFER.  THE
LATTER REQUIRES A MORE BUREAUCRATIC TRANSACTION.
8.  COMMENT:  THE SIMPLIFIED IMPORT SYSTEM WILL HAVE A
POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE EXPORT OF U.S. PRODUCTS TO BRAZIL,
ESPECIALLY COMPUTER PARTS AND SOFTWARE.  THE LOCAL PRESS,
HOWEVER, HIGHLIGHTED THE DIFFICULTY IN FINDING CATALOG
ORDER FORMS IN BRAZIL.  DISTRIBUTION OF LARGE QUANTITIES
OF CATALOGUES AND ORDER FORMS WILL PROBABLY MOTIVATE
BRAZILIANS TO BUY MORE U.S. GOODS BY MAIL.  END COMMENT.