RIO DE JANEIRO, June 27 (Reuters) - Influential Brazilian automaker lobby group Anfavea on Thursday asked President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration to immediately hike taxes on car imports to protect the local industry from an influx of foreign-made cars, mostly from China.
A bill signed into law by Brazil's government earlier on Thursday already envisages taxes on car imports, including electric and hybrid vehicles, rising to 35%, but that would happen gradually over a two-year period.
Car import taxes in Brazil vary widely depending on the type of vehicle.
Brazil's industry ministry said it had also received a request from car importers to not make any changes to the planned gradual rise in the vehicle import tax. (Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier; additional reporting by Luana Maria Benedito; Editing by Jamie Freed)
