In May, the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services (MDIC) announced the exemption of import taxes for collaborative robots which are not currently produced in Brazil. The measure, a long-awaited demand of the industrial sector, aims to inject US$ 250 million in Brazilian economy through the purchase of automation machinery.

The measure is part of a broader program led by MDIC and the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development (ABDI) named Agenda Brazil 4.0. Through the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), the program will invest nearly US$ 10 million in 20 testbed projects and an equal amount will directed into startup development until 2019.

The main goal of Agenda Brazil 4.0is to assist and prepare 3,000 Brazilian companies for their transition into the 4^th Industrial Revolution. The participating companies will be assisted by APEX-Brazil to export their products in foreign markets.

Apart from the zeroing of import tax of industrial and collaborative robots (HS 84795000), which was previously fixed at 14%, the program also reduced the aliquot for 3D printers (HS 84778090) from 14% to 0%, valid thru 2020.

The National Confederation of Industries (CNI) estimates that the Agenda Brazil 4.0 will increase the share of Brazilian companies integrated into the concepts of industry 4.0 from the current 4% to 18% by 2030.

The recent investments by the Brazilian government to feed innovation aims to solve a historic gap that separates Brazil from other emerging economies. The country occupies the 69^th position in the Global Innovation Index: the last among BRICS countries and only the 7^th within Latin America.  

Source: Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services (MDIC)