ABES – the Brazilian Association of Software Companies, whose mission is to build a more digital and less unequal Brazil, expresses its concern about the recent imposition of additional tariffs by the United States on hundreds of Brazilian products. Although the software and information technology services sector is not directly covered by the tariff list, the side effects on the production chain, investments in innovation, and the economy as a whole are significant and worrying.
Our sector has a horizontal penetration into the economy—we serve everyone from small businesses to large industries and banks—and is therefore directly impacted by the difficulties faced by other sectors. Industries highly dependent on exports, such as meat, coffee, soybeans, and manufacturing in general, tend to suffer severely from surcharges, which will lead to reduced revenue and investment. This can compromise these organizations' capacity for innovation, including in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and automation, which today represent a unique window of opportunity for Brazil to increase its global competitiveness.
ABES has been in constant dialogue with the Brazilian government, especially with the Brazilian focal point in the negotiations, the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce, and Services (MDIC), reinforcing the need to avoid trade escalations and retaliation that could further aggravate the situation. We understand that diplomatic channels are the only way to mitigate damage and build solutions that protect the national economy, avoiding a lose-lose situation for both countries.
We emphasize that, even if the direct impact of tariffs on the software sector is limited, the indirect effect on our customers and the business environment is significant and concerning. Brazil cannot miss this historic moment of digital transformation driven by new technologies. To achieve this, it is essential to preserve stability, encourage investment in innovation, and ensure that companies—especially micro and small businesses, which represent the majority of our members—can continue to grow competitively and sustainably.
We will remain vigilant and active in our dialogue with the public and private sectors, defending a more stable, modern, and fair business environment for the information technology sector and the entire Brazilian economy.
About ABES
ABES (Brazilian Association of Software Companies) aims to contribute to the construction of a more digital and less unequal Brazil, in which information technology plays a fundamental role in the democratization of knowledge and the creation of new opportunities for all. In this sense, it aims to ensure a business environment conducive to innovation, ethical, dynamic, sustainable and globally competitive, always in line with its mission to connect, guide, protect and develop the Brazilian information technology market.
Currently, ABES represents around 2,000 companies, which total approximately 80% of the software and services sector's revenue in Brazil, distributed across 24 states and the Federal District, responsible for the generation of more than 260 thousand direct jobs and an annual revenue of around R$103 billion in 2024. Access the ABES Portal or call +55 (11) 5094-3100.
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