THE EFFECTS OF ANTI-DUMPING MEASURES ON THE BRAZILIAN FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS

Abstract

The study investigates the effects of anti-dumping measures applied by Brazil on footwear imports, particularly those originating from China, aiming to understand how this trade defense instrument influenced competitiveness, market structure, and the performance of the national footwear industry. The research traces the sector’s history, highlighting its economic importance, its production organization in regional clusters, and the challenges intensified by low-cost international competition. Analysis of sectoral data shows that the imposition of additional tariffs significantly reduced the volume of Chinese imports, allowing Brazilian companies to regain domestic market share, reactivate production activities, and contribute to job creation, with an estimated 60,000 new positions in the first years following the implementation of these measures. Despite these advances, the study identifies important limitations, such as trade diversion to other Asian countries and the persistence of structural obstacles related to production costs, logistics, and the need for greater investment in technology and innovation. Thus, it concludes that, although anti-dumping measures provide competitive relief and immediate benefits, their long-term effectiveness depends on coordination with broader industrial policies that promote modernization, efficiency, and the strengthening of production chains. In this sense, anti-dumping emerges as a complementary tool, capable of contributing to sectoral protection and development when integrated into more robust structural strategies.