Ato Declaratório Executivo SRRF02 nº 5, dated 7 October but published in the 9 October DOU, grants Top Internacional Ltda authorisation to operate a ‘loja franca’—Brazil’s land-border duty-free shop regime—in Guajará-Mirim, Rondônia, opposite Guayaramerín (Bolivia). Under the scheme, Brazilian and foreign travellers may buy up to US$500 of goods per month tax-free when leaving the customs control zone. The operator must install CCTV connected to Receita Federal, use electronic inventory seals and integrate sales data with the agency’s SISFRONTEIRA platform. The new outlet is expected to capture part of the US$18 million in annual informal trade that currently crosses the Mamoré River via ferry. For companies managing assignees in Porto Velho’s mining and energy projects, the shop provides a regulated alternative to cross-river purchases and should reduce compliance risks related to import declarations. Local tourism boards believe the duty-free status will attract weekend shoppers from Bolivia’s Beni Department, boosting hotel occupancy and ferry revenues. However, Bolivian customs authorities have warned of tighter controls on return, reminding travellers that their personal-exemption limit remains US$300. Receita Federal will review the concession annually and may suspend it if sales data diverge from declared inventories or if anti-money-laundering procedures are breached.
Source: Portal ComexBR
