Drawback, RECOF and bonded warehousing: the savings most companies leave behind

Every company that imports inputs and exports finished goods should know the special customs regimes. Even so, only a small share uses them, usually out of fear of the paperwork. With planning and control, the gain goes straight to the margin.

Drawback

Suspends or waives import duty, IPI, PIS and Cofins on imports and, in some cases, state VAT on inputs that will be incorporated into exported products. Under suspension, the company imports without paying and evidences the export within the deadline. Under exemption, it replenishes the stock of inputs already used in previous exports. It requires consumption control per product and discipline with the deadlines of the concession act.

RECOF

Suited to industries with relevant volume, it allows importing and buying domestically with taxes suspended, manufacturing, and directing part of the output to the domestic market with payment only on the way out. It requires an integrated control system and auditing, but offers the largest cash gain among the regimes.

Bonded warehousing

Allows imported goods to be stored with taxes suspended until nationalisation, in batches. It is the right tool for anyone who needs stock in Brazil without advancing the tax outlay, or who distributes to other South American countries.

Temporary admission

For machinery, test equipment, trade fairs and projects of defined duration, it allows entry with full or proportional suspension of taxes.

What keeps you out of trouble

A badly controlled special regime turns into an assessment. The critical points are stock control per batch, evidence of the export and meeting deadlines. That is why we treat the regime as part of the logistics operation, with the same rigour as a shipment, and not as a separate matter for the accountant.