Brazil applies new import barrier to cars and parts

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/12/brazil-autos-barriers-idUSN1212596820110512

Thu May 12, 2011 7:23pm EDT

Car imports to be authorized on case-by-case basis

BRASILIA, May 12 (Reuters) - Brazil will apply nontariff trade barriers to imports of cars and car parts, a government source said on Thursday, in an effort to stem fast-rising imports that are battering domestic manufacturers.

The government will tighten licensing requirements on imported cars and car parts, likely causing significant delays and buying domestic manufacturers time to regain market share.

Obtaining import licenses, which were previously granted automatically, may now take up to two months.

My employer has trouble selling to commercial customers because Brazil wants to protect their electronics industry. They don't even produce the products that my employer sells.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90778/90858/90864/7356418.html

14:59, April 20, 2011

Brazil's unemployment rate in March stood at 6.5 percent, the lowest ever registered for the month in the country, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) said Tuesday.

The unemployed totaled 1.5 million, remaining stable from February and falling 14 percent year on year, while the employed amounted to 22.3 million, almost unchanged from February and up 2.4 percent from March 2010.

The number of workers holding formal contracts in the private sector reached 10.7 million in March, roughly the same figure registered in February and up 7.4 percent year on year, the IBGE said.

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Yea, they are really overly-protectionist alright. What are they thinking?