Rio - The government admits the possibility that it will, by the end of this year, reduce the airport tax collected by the Airport Infrastructure Company (Infraero) for international departures, from US$ 36.00 - one of the highest in the world - to US$ 20.00, which is closer to the world average. This information was provided today by the president of the company, Carlos Wilson, in the American Chamber of Commerce in Rio de Janeiro.

Wilson met today with the Minister of Finance, Antônio Palocci, to whom he demonstrated the "absurdity of this tax." Taking into consideration rates within the Mercosur, this tax is especially burdensome for people who purchase tickets to South America, he explained. Wilson argued that lack of information has led people to blame Infraero unjustly for imposing the US$ 36.00 tax, which was instated by the Collor Administration, when a one-to-one parity existed between the dollar and the cruzeiro [the Brazilian currency at the time]. The purpose of the measure, then, was to curb the outflow of hard currency.

Wilson affirmed that the tax is excessive. "If we are planning to have a country that attracts over nine million tourists by the end of President Lula's four years in office, this tax constitutes an impediment. And it is also unfair, because it isn't even used to advertise the country." Half the proceeds, US$ 18.00, go to the Federal Treasury to pay off debts. "And it is not the debt that will stimulate the arrival of tourists in our country," Wilson declared.

On the other hand, the tax for domestic flights, around R$ 9.00, is one of the lowest in the world.

Agência Brasil
Translator: David Silberstein
10/29/2004