# USTR proposes 25% Section 301 tariff on all Brazilian goods, with statutory deadline July 15 and public hearing July 6
> The US Trade Representative determined Brazil's acts on digital trade, deforestation, IP and ethanol access burden US commerce; the proposed 25% tariff covers most Brazilian goods with 1,600+ HTS exemptions; President Lula called it unjustified and threatened retaliation

**Meta:** type: event · date: 2026-06-04 · heads: 誰の金か, 何が壊れたか · 10 takes · 9 lenses · 2 regions

## Summary

The [US](/ja/entity/united-states) Trade Representative on June 4 published a Federal Register notice proposing a 25% tariff on essentially all goods of [Brazil](/ja/entity/brazil) under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, following a formal determination that Brazil's acts, policies and practices related to digital trade, illegal deforestation, intellectual property enforcement, ethanol market access and anti-corruption enforcement are unreasonable and burden US commerce. The proposed tariff carves out articles already covered by Section 232 tariffs and more than 1,600 Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheadings, including a specific 430-item carve-out protecting Embraer-linked aircraft components. Written comments closed July 1; a public hearing runs July 6-7 at the US International Trade Commission in Washington. The statutory deadline for a final action determination is July 15. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called the action unjustified and politically motivated and threatened retaliation if tariffs take effect.

## The split

The USTR determination frames the action under the same Trade Act of 1974 Section 301 authority used for China tariffs, presenting it as a rule-of-law trade enforcement measure. Brazilian authorities read it as selective pressure targeting a government with an independent foreign policy on Gaza, Ukraine and multilateral forums, and noted that USTR acted weeks after Brazil adopted digital payment rules the US financial sector opposed. US trade lawyers note the scope is unusual: Section 301 actions typically target specific sectors, not a blanket 25% on all goods from a major economy. Covington & Burling characterises it as creating "renewed bilateral tensions" at a moment when Brazil chairs the G20 preparatory track. The aircraft carve-out protecting 430 Embraer-linked HTS items signals that commercial lobbying shaped the tariff's contours.

## By the numbers

- 25%, proposed tariff rate on all Brazilian goods not otherwise excluded
- 1,600+, Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheadings exempt from the tariff
- 430, aircraft-related carve-outs protecting Embraer and related US airline supply chains
- 6, issue areas cited: digital trade and electronic payments, unfair preferential tariffs, anti-corruption enforcement, IP protection, ethanol market access, illegal deforestation
- July 6-7, public hearing at the US International Trade Commission in Washington
- July 15, statutory deadline for USTR's final action determination under the Trade Act of 1974

## Why it matters

[Brazil](/ja/entity/brazil) is the United States' seventh-largest goods trading partner and the largest economy in Latin America, and Section 301 tariffs at 25% would substantially raise the cost of Brazilian exports across agriculture, aerospace, chemicals and manufactured goods. The aircraft carve-out protecting Embraer reflects the practical reality that US regional airlines depend on Embraer jets. For Brazil, the timing immediately before the G20 ministerial cycle signals US willingness to use trade tools against governments that diverge from Washington on geopolitical alignment, and sets a precedent that could be applied to other BRICS economies.

## What to watch

- Whether USTR finalises the 25% tariff, a modified rate, or a negotiated suspension before the July 15 deadline
- Brazil's retaliation options: Lula's government has signalled it could target US agricultural exports or US digital platforms operating in Brazil
- Whether the July 6-7 hearing produces any Brazilian concessions on digital trade or ethanol access that could alter USTR's final action
- Implications for the G20 ministerial track, which Brazil chairs

## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens)

### Official US government trade agency press release
- **US Trade Representative** (United States, en) — Formal USTR press release announcing the determination that Brazil's acts, policies and practices related to digital trade and electronic payment services, unfair preferential tariffs, anti-corruption enforcement, intellectual property protection, ethanol market access and illegal deforestation are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict US commerce. Proposed a 25% Section 301 tariff on all goods of Brazil as the responsive action.
  > "USTR finds Brazil's acts, policies, and practices unreasonable and proposes 25% tariff on Brazilian goods."
  Source: https://ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2026/june/ustr-section-301-determination-brazils-unreasonable-acts-policies-and-practices

### Official US Federal Register publication; legal record of the Section 301 notice
- **Federal Register** (United States, en) — Federal Register document 2026-11158, the official legal publication of the USTR's Section 301 determination and proposed responsive action. Set out the docket numbers (USTR-2026-0331 for written comments, USTR-2026-0397 for hearing requests), the public comment period closing date of July 1, and the July 15 statutory deadline for taking action under the Trade Act of 1974.
  > "Notice of determination and request for comments on proposed Section 301 action against Brazil."
  Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/04/2026-11158/notice-of-determination-and-request-for-comments-concerning-action-pursuant-to-section-301-brazils

### USTR press release scheduling the July 6-7 public hearing
- **US Trade Representative (hearing announcement)** (United States, en) — Announced a public hearing on the proposed Section 301 action against Brazil on July 6-7, 2026, at the US International Trade Commission at 500 E Street SW, Washington DC, starting at 10:00 am ET. Confirmed the statutory deadline of July 15 for any final action.
  > "Public hearing on proposed Section 301 action against Brazil set for July 6-7 at US ITC."
  Source: https://ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2026/july/public-hearing-proposed-responsive-action-section-301-investigation-certain-acts-policies-and

### Brazilian federal government news agency; primary domestic-market coverage
- **Agência Brasil** (Brazil, en) — Reported the USTR announcement from a Brazilian government perspective, noting that the Lula administration issued an immediate rejection of the determination's factual basis. Cited Brazilian government sources stating that Lula called the proposed tariffs unjustified and politically motivated, and that Brazil's foreign and trade ministries are preparing retaliatory options should the tariffs take effect after July 15. Described the ethanol market access charge as particularly contested, since Brazil's ethanol industry says it has offered US access on reciprocal terms that USTR has not accepted.
  > "US government proposes new 25% tariff on Brazilian products."
  Source: https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/internacional/noticia/2026-06/us-government-proposes-new-25-tariff-brazilian-products

### Washington DC trade-specialist subscription press
- **InsideTrade.com** (United States, en) — Reported USTR's findings and recommendation of 25% tariffs, noting this is one of the broadest Section 301 actions since the China tariffs because it targets an entire economy rather than specific sectors. Noted that USTR's six-issue determination is unusually wide, combining digital trade, deforestation, IP, ethanol, anti-corruption and tariff structure charges that individually would not each meet the unreasonable-burden threshold but are combined to support a comprehensive action.
  > "USTR issues findings in Section 301 Brazil probe, recommends 25 percent tariffs."
  Source: https://insidetrade.com/daily-news/ustr-issues-findings-section-301-brazil-probe-recommends-25-percent-tariffs

### Washington DC international trade law firm analysis
- **Covington & Burling** (United States, en) — Characterised the USTR action as creating renewed bilateral tensions between the US and Brazil, noting that the relationship has already been strained by disagreements over multilateral climate finance, Ukraine and Gaza positions. Analysed the legal structure of the proposed tariff: 25% on all goods except Section 232-covered articles and 1,600+ HTS subheadings. Noted that the aircraft carve-out, protecting 430 HTS items linked to Embraer's supply chain, reflects the practical lobbying reality that US airlines depend on Embraer regional jets and imposing tariffs on aircraft components would raise domestic costs.
  > "Section 301 action on Brazil creates renewed bilateral tensions as statutory deadline nears."
  Source: https://www.cov.com/news-and-insights/insights/2026/06/results-of-us-section-301-investigation-into-brazil-proposed-us-tariffs-and-renewed-bilateral-tensions

### US freight and trade compliance advisory
- **Green Worldwide Shipping** (United States, en) — Detailed breakdown of the proposed tariff's product scope for importers: 25% on all Brazilian goods, with 1,200+ (note: other sources cite 1,600+) HTS subheadings exempt. The 430-item aircraft carve-out is the largest single sector exemption and covers fuselages, engine components and avionics used in Embraer aircraft operated by US carriers. Key goods that WOULD be affected include steel, aluminum, chemicals, textiles, coffee and processed food products.
  > "USTR proposes 25% Section 301 tariff on Brazilian goods: 1,200+ HTS exemptions and 430 aircraft carve-outs."
  Source: https://www.greenworldwide.com/ustr-proposes-25-section-301-tariff-on-brazilian-goods-1200-hts-exemptions-and-430-aircraft-carve-outs/

### US logistics and supply chain compliance advisory
- **Crane Worldwide Logistics** (United States, en) — Compliance advisory for importers noting the July 15 statutory deadline and advising companies to audit their HTS classification to determine whether their Brazilian-origin goods fall within the 1,600+ exempt subheadings or the 430 aircraft carve-outs. Noted that any goods not within an exempt subheading would be subject to the 25% Section 301 tariff in addition to existing Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff rates.
  > "Section 301 action on Brazil: tariff risk and compliance implications for importers."
  Source: https://www.craneww.com/knowledge-center/trade-advisory-notices/u.s-section-301-determination-on-brazil-tariff-risk-and-compliance-implications/

### unlabelled
- **Barnes Richardson Colburn** (United States, en) — 
  Source: https://www.barnesrichardson.com/?t=40&an=146343&format=xml&p=3731
- **Expeditors** (United States, en) — 
  Source: https://info.expeditors.com/newsflash/ustr-proposes-25-section-301-tariff-on-brazil

## Across the graph
- Entities: Brazil, United States

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Canonical: https://rbtfl.xyz/ja/n/ustr-brazil-section301-2026