The Government of Brazil incorporated the MERCOSUR Trade Facilitation Agreement into its domestic law, giving it full applicability at the national level through the Decree No. 12.958, published this Friday (08/05/2026) in the Official Gazette of the Union.
The agreement was signed by the four MERCOSUR countries in December 2019 and subsequently approved by the Brazilian Congress in September 2023.
It was already in effect in the international plan for Brazil and Argentina from February 9, 2026, the date on which the MERCOSUR Trade Facilitation Agreement (CMC Decision 29/19) came into force, also called “AFC Plus” because of its expanded scope compared to the World Trade Organization (WTO) standard.
In this regard, the treaty reaffirms the rights and obligations derived from the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, as well as the recommendations and guidelines of the World Customs Organization (WCO), which form the basis of import, export and transit procedures.
In this way, it establishes measures to simplify and expedite intraregional trade, focusing on the use of electronic documentation, the harmonization of customs procedures and the strengthening of cooperation between authorities.
With its incorporation into domestic law, the agreement becomes applicable before the Brazilian public administration and judiciary.
The measure is part of the Brazilian government's agenda aimed at modernizing foreign trade and reducing operating costs.
The decree was signed by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, acting as President during President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's trip to the United States.
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