The main purpose of Law No. 12.968 is to reduce bureaucracy and difficulties faced by foreign individuals who wish to visit Brazil.

The Chamber of Foreign Trade granted temporary reductions in the import duty rates applied to several products based on a Resolution of the Common Market Group of Mercosur.

Decree nr. 8.023, published in the Federal Official Gazette on June 5, 2013, presented alterations to the Regulations of the IOF relating to the rules applicable to the IOF/Exchange Rate.

Small Claims Courts were opened up in airports with the aim of speeding up the process of complying with passengers’ rights.

The long-awaited regulation of the law, however, has yet to be published, but it is expected that it will be drafted following public hearings.

Although the Brazilian Competition System (comprised of the Secretariat of Economic Accompaniment – SEAE, the Secretariat of Economic Law – SDE and the Administrative Economic Defence Council – CADE) recently signalled that its focus is turning more to clamping down on anticompetitive conduct, merger review is still on the agenda (despite the number of notifications reviewed has fallen from 517, in 2003, to 372 in 2006).

The paucity of the Brazilian Airport sector is now rising to the surface with the challenges arising due to the proximity of the World Cup and the Olympics, in 2014 and 2016, respectively.

The so called Sports Incentive Law has become an important starting point for the encouragement of Brazilian sport as a whole as it creates guidelines by which fund raising can be conducted as part of a fiscal benefit for the patron.

At a plenary session of the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court held on March 20, 2013, the decision on Extraordinary Appeal nr.

On June 20, 2014, the Brazilian Federal Treasury published Interpretative Declaratory Act nr. 5.

The Brazilian Government has published a decree which many see as the first concrete step by the new government to encourage both domestic and international investment in infrastructure.

On November 19, 2012, Normative Resolution Nr. 98, from the National Immigration Council, dated November 14, 2012 was published in the Federal Official Gazette, moving into effect as of the date of its publication.

During 2013 and 2014, all efforts will be focused upon the staging of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

FIFA special procedures for the organization and staging of these events, currently regulated by Law nr. 12.663, dated 05/06/2012, better known as the "World Cup General Law".

Due to the lack of capacity of Brazilian airports, the Federal Government and certain State Governments have decided to launch projects for the construction of railway facilities.

A barroom brawl often erupts in a flash and is over as soon as it has started. This, however, is the story of a brawl for the barroom itself, which, at least as far as the round that has taken place in Brazil is concerned, is only now coming to an end.

The Federal Government Has Finally Given Indications That The Much-Awaited New Mining Code Is About To Be Enacted.

The Brazilian Government has forwarded a bill of law to Congress proposing a number of changes to the Brazilian Aeronautical Code (CBA).

This April, as a result of Law 1.2783/2013 (MP579/2012), the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) issued Ordinance 117/2013, regulating the provision of electricity generation through hydroelectric plants which have not had their concessions extended, in order to ensure continuity of service.

Felsberg e Associados has succeeded in securing seldom seen favourable employment awards for one of their US automotive clients with business interests in Brazil