Brazil: as the government launches its agenda for ‘Industry 4.0’, unions are seeking consultation and dialogue on the future of jobs

In mid-March Brazil’s Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade put a series of measures forward that aim to stimulate ‘the industry of the future’. The metals union has harshly criticized the lack of reflection on the concrete impact the use of leading edge technology will have on the sector’s jobs.
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Presented by both Brazil’s Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade and Brazil’s Industrial Development Agency (ABDI), during the most recent The World Economic Forum on Latin America (13-15 March), the Agenda for ‘Industry 4.0’ contains a range of proposals including customs tax exemptions for robot imports, incentives promoting private sector investment expenditure in industry, and support for developing a range of pilot projects. Seven billion R$ (€1.8 billion) will be made available and as a

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