What is the Economic Reciprocity Law, which Brazil uses against the USA

Brazil begins process to adopt reciprocity measures in response to American tariffs The Brazilian government reported this Thursday (13) that it has begun the process to adopt reciprocity measures against the United States in response to tariffs applied by the North American government on Brazilian products. ? "The Brazilian government informs that it has begun the analysis of an ordinary request for classification, under the Economic Reciprocity Law (Law No. 15,122/2025), of unilateral measures adopted by the government of the United States of America within the scope of Section 301 of that country's Trade Law", the government informed in a note. What is the Law of Economic Reciprocity? Approved in 2025, the Economic Reciprocity Law is a mechanism that allows Brazil to adopt countermeasures in the face of actions by other countries that harm Brazilian competitiveness. ??That year, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced 50% tariffs on Brazilian products. The text defines the situations in which the government can resort to the instrument and what measures can be adopted. These include the suspension of commercial and investment concessions and obligations related to intellectual property rights. Trump's tariff: see the chronology and what the new tariffs look like for Brazil The beginning of the process The government stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE) "is notifying the United States government about the beginning of the process and requesting diplomatic consultations." "The diplomatic consultations, which aim to mitigate or nullify the effects of the measures and countermeasures provided for in the Economic Reciprocity Law, reinforce the Brazilian government's willingness to prioritize dialogue and negotiation in its international relations", says the note. The Brazilian government states that it has consistently worked with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to close investigations based on Section 301. "[The Brazilian government] has presented evidence that refutes each of the allegations about Brazil's alleged unfair trade practices. The US tariffs are unjustified and arbitrary, and Brazil will continue to defend its position in all appropriate instances", says the government note. Representatives of the machinery and equipment sector even spoke out against the application of the Reciprocity Law. Last month, after the 25% tariff came into force, the president of the Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment Industry (Abimaq) defended that Brazil should continue negotiating with the USA through diplomatic and business channels. READ ALSO: 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth?' What does the Reciprocity Law say that Lula wants to use against new US tariffs Shortly before the note was released, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, and with the President's special advisor for International Affairs, Celso Amorim, to discuss the matter. WTO Earlier this week, the United States government responded to Brazil's request for consultations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and said it was "available" to discuss tariffs. "The United States accepts Brazil's request to hold consultations. We are available to meet with representatives of your mission on a mutually convenient date to hold consultations," the document states. Brazil called the WTO to contest two new tariffs announced by the White House: one of 25%, applied under the argument that Brazil adopts economic practices considered unfair by the US in relation to American companies; another of 12.5%, applied under the argument that Brazil, like dozens of other countries, failed to monitor the import of goods produced with forced labor. When activating the organization, the Brazilian government argued that the new tariffs imposed by Donald Trump's government are discriminatory, unilateral and violate the commitments made by the United States to the international entity itself. The presidents of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and of the United States, Donald Trump. Pablo Porciúncula and Andrew Caballero-Reynoldos/ AFP via Getty Images