Victor Bovarotti Lopes
Government Relations International Trade and Customs Tax
11 3356 1692 vlopes@demarest.com.br São Paulo
Partner in Demarest’s Customs, International Trade, Tax and Government Relations areas, Victor Bovarotti Lopes holds a bachelor’s degree in law from PUC-SP, a master’s degree in tax law from INSPER and a master’s degree with honors from Georgetown University in International Legal Studies. He leads most of Demarest’s work in the customs area, as well as in trade defense and litigation cases at the World Trade Organization (WTO). Over his career, he has represented clients in significant cases involving various matters such as customs valuation, tax classification, tax planning, import licensing, interpretation of trade agreements (Mercosur, mainly) and special customs regimes (drawback, RECOF, REPETRO, among others).
- Advised the Brazilian government on behalf of the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) in disputes DS472 and DS497 at the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the European Union and Japan, respectively.
- Represented Usiminas in subsidy investigations conducted by the United States against Brazilian exports of hot and cold rolled flat steel.
- Advised Dow Corning Silício do Brasil Indústria e Comércio Ltda. in a subsidy investigation conducted by the United States against Brazilian silicon metal exports.
- Represented Diageo Brasil Ltda. in administrative disputes over the customs valuation of imported products, which together totaled approximately BRL 500 million.
- Advised Ternium Brasil Ltda. in the certification process of the company in the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program of the Federal Revenue Office. Ternium was the first Brazilian steelmaker to be certified in this program.
- L.LM. with distinction in International Legal Studies and certificate in WTO Studies from Georgetown University in Washington, DC, United States (2013)
- LL.M. in Tax Law from INSPER in São Paulo, Brazil (2011)
- Graduation in Law from PUC, in São Paulo, Brazil (2005)
- Coauthor of the chapter “The Trade War and related WTO Disputes”, published in Volume 1 of the ENLAW International Trade Law Journal, June 2019.
- Coauthor of the book “RELEITURA DOS ACORDOS DA OMC: como interpretados pelo Órgão de Apelação” (2013), coordinated by professor Vera Thorstensen and Luciana Maria de Oliveira. In this book, Victor was particularly involved in drafting the chapters on the TBT Agreement and on the Customs Valuation agreement.
- Author of the book “Drawback e a Inexigibilidade de Vinculação Física” (Publisher Almedina, 2012).
- Author of the article “Exchange undervaluation: The Solution Must Come from the WTO,” published in Volume 1, the Latin American Journal of International Trade Law, March 2013.
- Coauthor of “A nova agenda regulatória do comércio exterior do Brasil” (Published by Estadão, 2017).
- Portuguese and English
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