Doug Palmer – Reuters, 9/20/2012
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, in a letter obtained on Wednesday, urged the Brazilian government to reconsider plans for “protectionist” tariff increases expected to have a significant negative effect on U.S. exports.
“I am writing to state in strong and clear terms the United States’ concern about scheduled and proposed tariff increases in Brazil and Mercosur,” Kirk said in a Sept 19 letter to Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota.
Brazil recently announced plans to raise import tariffs on 100 foreign products to help struggling local industries, triggering international concerns over growing protectionism in the world’s No. 6 economy.
