Brazil continues its struggle to keep imported used tires out of the country. Representatives of Brazil’s ministries of Environment, Foreign Relations and Health have presented arguments before a World Trade Organization panel in which they oppose the importation of used tires.
The European Union has rebutted Brazil’s environmental, legal, economical and health arguments against the used tires and is threatening to get to the WTO to force Brazil to open its market.
Brazil has already lost a similar case with Uruguay and has to import up to 130,000 used tires from its neighbor. The problem in the EU is bigger – they have to get rid of 80 million used tires annually.
The issue is further complicated because there is a strong market in Brazil for used tires that have been recapped or retreaded, and companies that work in the sector want to keep importing them. Up to now they have done so with court orders.
However, the Brazilian government is considering a law that which simply prohibit all imports of used tires.
Agência Brasil