01 Logística e Infra-estrutura no Brasil – Desafios e ... - Swisscam

The bureaucratic
obstacles that hinder
Brazilian foreign trade
Brazil is seen as one of the most inefficient
countries in terms of foreign trade operations.
Comparing to global standards, twice as much
time is necessary to transport a product from
one point to another
I
mport and export operations in Brazil
are marked by excessive bureaucracy,
slowness, strikes, and losses for companies.
Brazil is seen as one of the most inefficient
countries in terms of foreign trade operations.
Comparing to global standards, twice
as much time is necessary to transport a
product from one point to another. As Brazil
started eliminating its trade barriers only in
the early 90’s and engaged in exporting
transactions only in the mid 80’s, the country
has been slow to adjust to the new scenario.
Besides that, the procedures set by governmental
agencies for foreign trade transactions
are still too complex, and entrepreneurs
have a hard time to understand the gobbledygook.
Brazil has been slow to
adjust to the new scenario,
and the procedures set by
governmental agencies for
foreign trade transactions
are still too complex
by Cristiano Koga
customs authorities, generating high additional
costs. Panalpina has 500 employees in
Brazil, 70 of which work at the Port of Santos,
and approximately 50 at the Viracopos and
Guarulhos airports.
Customs offices have been unable to keep
up with the new standards and to provide
clear information about importation procedures
to users. In addition, Brazilian laws
cannot deal with the large number of products
crossing our borders, and the SISCOMEX
support system, which should make the
process easier, still has gaps. Moreover, the
clearing system is obsolete, import taxes are
high, and there are additional fees charged
under different names, besides port and
airport expenses. Also worth mentioning are
the import/export barriers, especially in the
textile and shoe sectors, in which products
are classified as belonging to the “grey
channel”, a class of goods that are meticulously
controlled by customs officials.
SMEs are not ready to engage in export
operations. They are not familiar with export
procedures, feel insecure to start exporting,
know very little about international quality
standards, and resist the idea of having to
change their products to meet the requirements
of the global market. To make things
worse for these SMEs, there is a lack of
incentives and support in terms of, for example,
access to credit and commercial
missions abroad. In general, the government
makes this kind of support available only to
large companies. Institutions like SEBRAE,
FIESP, and APEX assume partially this paper,
but the result is not yet significant. All
these bottlenecks and unnecessary complications
affect Brazil’s ability to increase its
exports and become a big global player.
Besides not yet being familiar with the export
culture, companies, especially small and
medium-sized enterprises, additionally have
to face high freight and port costs. Furthermore
the unfavorable exchange rates do not
help exportations. Companies lose competitiveness
in the global markets and a large
number of contracts are cancelled due to the
higher prices in dollar, a fact that diminishes
Often custom officials themselves
do not have enough
knowledge to evaluate the
various kinds of products
been imported or exported
exportations and can create a lack of vessels
and containers, as it happened in 2004, due
to the lack of profitability of operations in
ports with few freight turnover.
Other problems include the lack of infrastructure
characterized by inefficient ports,
deficient roads, and underused railways and
waterways. The high interest rates also
contribute to put off entrepreneurs who would
foco
focus
As a company dedicated to handling imported
and exported goods all the way between
Brazil and the rest of the world, Panalpina,
present in the country for 29 years, has the
necessary experience and a long-standing
relationship with agents and technicians
from various governmental agencies. As
there are different and complex rules, such
as those established by ANVISA for the
chemical, medical, pharmaceutical, and
agricultural sectors, logistics solutions must
meet each sector’s specific needs. Often
custom officials themselves do not have
enough knowledge to evaluate the large
number of products entering or leaving the
country. Consequently, companies must
send their own engineers and specialists to
explain and answer the questions asked by
swisscam nº44 03/2006
17