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The fiscal and administrative benefits available to authorized EPZ companies, as well as their 20-year legal guarantee clause, also remain unchanged. [113] (...)

[113] Authorized EPZ companies may purchase local or imported goods and services with the suspension of import duties, the IPI, COFINS, PIS, and AFRMM. They are exempt from licensing and authorization requirements (at the federal level) for imports and exports, except for those related to sanitary controls, national security, and environmental protection. Additional fiscal benefits, including lower corporate income tax and accelerated depreciation, are available to enterprises located in the SUDENE and SUDAM areas.

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) remains in charge of coordinating and implementing policies for the promotion of Brazilian goods and services overseas, for the internationalization of Brazilian companies, and for attracting FDI. Although it supports companies of all sizes, Apex-Brasil maintains a particular focus on activities that help enhance exports of small and medium-size enterprises, foster competitiveness and create jobs. Other strategic priorities include: increasing the participation of Brazilian companies in international value chains; fostering innovation, design and technology transfer; and encouraging the use of "sociobiodiverse" resources. (...)

In Brazil, incentives and government assistance are available in various configurations, with programmes administered at both the federal and sub-federal levels. The scope of incentive programmes may be regional, sectoral or outcome-specific (e.g. fostering research). Most initiatives seek to promote entrepreneurship, technological and infrastructure upgrades, innovation, exports (Section 3.2.4), energy efficiency, and regional development. Specific federal programmes are in place for the automotive, information technology, aeronautics, and petroleum industries (Section 4). The range of support measures includes: targeted long-term loans ; tax incentives; non-repayable financial contributions; equity financing; accelerated depreciation; guarantees; grants; advisory services; and credit insurance.

Table 3.13 Subsidy programmes notified to the WTO, 2011 and 2012
Type Programmes Forms of support Amount (R$ million)
2011 2012
(...)
Fisheries Programme for economic subvention to the price of diesel oil used by fishing vessels; Programme for financing the enlargement and modernization of national fishing fleet (PROFROTA)a Fuel price support (equalization); loan performance bonus (interest payment discount) 17.2 2.8

As at March 2017, some 459 companies were residing in the ZFM (Manaus Free Trade Zone), and the other FTZs (free-trade zones) had a total of 82 resident companies. Eligibility for establishment in the ZFM is conditional on observing PPB (Basic Productive Process) criteria (Section 3.3.1.1); a number of environmental and social requirements also apply. (...)

The National Council of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (CONMETRO) continues to oversee the National System of Metrology, Standardization and Industrial Quality (SINMETRO), which regroups public and private entities active in metrology, standardization, quality management, and certification at the federal and sub-federal levels. The National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (INMETRO) continues serving as: CONMETRO's Executive Secretariat; the coordinator of the Brazilian Network of Legal Metrology and Quality (RBMLQ-I); the regulatory and supervising authority for legal metrology and compulsory conformity assessment in the areas of security, environmental and health protection, and prevention of deceptive trade practices ; and the national enquiry point and notification authority under the TBT Agreement.

The National Technical Commission on Biosafety (CTNBio), a multidisciplinary advisory body to the Federal Government, remains Brazil's authority for all activities involving genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Besides assisting in GMO policy formulation and elaborating relevant technical advice, CTNBio acts as the national certifying body for quality systems in biosafety and is the sole issuer of research authorizations and of commercial approvals for GMOs. Entities wishing to engage in any activity involving GMOs must obtain a certificate of quality in biosafety and a prior authorization from CTNBio.

Establishments that produce, import, or export fertilizers, as well as the products themselves, must be registered with Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA). The Ministry also maintains a register of pesticides (AGROFIT), which incorporates relevant information from the Ministries of Health and Environment.

In 2016, Brazil notified the WTO's Council for Trade in Goods that it does not maintain any state trading enterprises (STEs) "that fall within the working definition of such enterprises." According to the authorities, Indústrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB), which holds the exclusive right to import and export nuclear material, does not qualify as an STE because all of its production is sold to a subsidiary of ELETROBRAS.

Brazil's procurement policy remains focused on obtaining the most advantageous offer, ensuring equality under the law, and promoting national sustainable development. (...)