Brazil and the United States announced on Wednesday the creation of a working group devoted specifically to the tariffs Washington imposed on Brazilian goods in July. The decision came out of a meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the G20 trade ministers are gathered — the first face-to-face talks between the two governments on the issue since the surcharges took effect.
Brazil was represented by Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and by Márcio Elias Rosa, minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services. The United States was represented by Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
What was agreed
According to a note from the Itamaraty (Brazil's foreign ministry), the two sides "recognised the importance of making progress in overcoming the existing obstacles" and described the meeting as constructive. The next move is Washington's: the US government is to send, within the coming weeks, a document proposing the scope of the negotiation, covering both tariff and non-tariff questions.
That detail is what sets this announcement apart from other declarations of willingness to talk made in recent months. A working group with a written agenda and a deadline for the proposal turns conversation into process — but the text that will define the negotiation's reach does not yet exist, and it is Washington that drafts it.
Where the tariffs came from
The US measures arrived in two rounds, both in July this year. The first applied a 25% surcharge to Brazilian products, citing alleged unfair trade practices. The second added 12.5%, based on claims that Brazilian legislation against forced labour is inadequate. The Brazilian government rejects both justifications.
Brazil has argued since then that the way out is a negotiated one. Wednesday's note repeats the formula: the country reaffirmed its willingness to seek solutions through dialogue, focused on defending Brazilian interests and widening opportunities for companies and productive sectors in both countries.
The G20 trade ministers' meeting in Milwaukee runs through Thursday, and neither the Itamaraty nor the office of the US Trade Representative gave a date for the working group's first formal session.
With information from Agência Brasil, CartaCapital and Brasil 247.
