The firm’s international trade department advises companies and governments from 5 continents on a broad spectrum of trade issues. The strategic location of the firm’s offices allows us to advise clients on the best legal strategies to meet their goals.

The department also advises clients on their rights and obligations under the WTO and regional agreements, whether existing or under negotiation. The firm was directly involved in the GATT Multilateral Trade Negotiations (the Uruguay Round). The firm’s senior partner has an active involvement in a great number of cases involving the Doha Round of negotiations.

Main activities:

• Advice on import and export licenses and procedures in Brazil and its principal trading partners;

• Advice and representation on commercial defence (antidumping cases, safeguards and countervailing duties);

• Advice on disputes and accompanying the relevant proceedings, both before the Brazilian Government and the WTO;

• Advice and representation on international matters (WTO, FTAA, Mercosul, EU etc.);

• Advice in relation to tax and customs issues in relation to foreign trade matters, both in the judicial and administrative spheres;

• Advice and assistance in identifying non-tariff barriers imposed by Brazil, as well as the country’s principal trading partners, with a view to questioning the same before the Brazilian judicial or administrative authorities or, as the case may be, making appropriate representations to the Brazilian Government;

• Advice and assistance in identifying topics that effect competition and/or market access for discussion in negotiations;

• Advice and assistance in carrying out comparative studies on institutional competitiveness (tax, financial, contractual, logistics aspects etc.);

• Advice and assistance on international negotiations and agreements;

• Structuring foreign trade operations in relation to tax, customs, foreign exchange, contractual and  commercial aspects;

• Preparation and negotiation of contracts, documents and appropriate registrations in relation to import and export operations;

• Tax planning studies in relation to foreign trade issues, including the analysis, negotiation and requests for concession of special customs regimes, tax benefits  and use of available tax incentives;

• Advice and assistance in tax litigation issues, including as regards the seizure of merchandise, import taxes, customs matters etc;

• Advice and assistance in relation to third party importers and the legal status of “trading” companies;

• Advice and assistance on customs issues;

• Representation in national and international arbitration matters to resolve disputes arising from foreign trade;

• Advice and assistance in questions of export financing, export credit guarantees, taxation, international transport, government procurement and special import and export tax regimes.

Durval de Noronha Goyos Júnior