# Law No. 3259 of September 6, 1957

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105649198](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649198)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3259-of-september-6-1957

## Summary
Law No. 3259 of September 6, 1957 (Portuguese: *Lei nº 3259, de 6 de setembro de 1957*) is a Brazilian federal statute that grants exemptions from import customs duties. Specifically, the law addresses tax exemptions for injectable penicillin. Enacted during the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek, it serves as a formal legal instrument within the jurisdiction of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

## Key Facts
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 3259, de 6 de setembro de 1957
- **Entity Type:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Promulgation Date:** September 6, 1957
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Signatory:** Juscelino Kubitschek (President)
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro (Capital of Brazil at the time)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3259/1957
- **Primary Subject:** Tax exemption (*Isenção*)
- **Specific Targets:** Import duties (*Imposto De Importação*), Tariffs (*Taxa Aduaneira*), and Consumption Tax (*Imposto De Consumo*)
- **Specific Good:** Injectable Penicillin (*Penicilina Injetavel*)
- **Chronological Scope of Digest:** Imports up to December 31, 1947
- **LexML Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-09-06;3259`
- **Official URL:** Available at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3259.htm`
- **Copyright Status:** Public domain (as a government edict)

## FAQs
**What is the specific purpose of Law No. 3259?**
The law specifically concedes exemption from customs import duties and consumption taxes for injectable penicillin. According to the law's digest, this exemption applies to penicillin imported up until December 31, 1947.

**Who signed Law No. 3259 into effect?**
The statute was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and signed by President Juscelino Kubitschek on September 6, 1957.

**Where was the law published and promulgated?**
The law was published and promulgated in Rio de Janeiro, which served as the capital of Brazil prior to the establishment of Brasília in 1960.

**Is the text of Law No. 3259 subject to copyright?**
No. As a statute and government edict, the text is in the public domain. Official legal documents in Brazil, similar to jurisdictions like the United States and France, are not copyrightable to ensure public access.

## Why It Matters
This statute represents a specific historical intervention in Brazilian economic and health policy during the late 1950s. By granting tax exemptions for injectable penicillin, the government aimed to influence the accessibility or cost of critical medical supplies. Although enacted in 1957, the law's reference to imports from 1947 suggests it may have served a ratifying or regulatory function regarding prior import activities, reflecting the complex bureaucratic and legal processes involved in post-war pharmaceutical regulation in Brazil.

As an instance of a **statute**, it serves as a primary example of how Brazilian statutory law functions: it is a formal written document created through legislation, acts as a manifestation of legal norms, and falls under the broader umbrella of "legal terms or legal concepts." It illustrates the structure of Brazilian federal law, identified by a unique number and date, and archived within the LexML and Planalto government databases for public access.

## Notable For
- **Medical Trade Regulation:** Specifically targets injectable penicillin, a vital antibiotic during that era.
- **Retroactive Reference:** Notable for a 1957 enactment date that references imports from 1947 in its official digest.
- **Presidential Association:** Signed by Juscelino Kubitschek, a pivotal figure in Brazilian modernization.
- **Pre-Brasília Era:** Published in Rio de Janeiro, marking it as a product of the capital's transitional period before the move to Brasília in 1960.
- **Structured Identification:** Possesses a structured LexML URN (`urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-09-06;3259`), integrating it into the global semantic web of legal documents.

## Body

### Legal Classification and Definition
Law No. 3259 is technically classified as a **statute**. In legal taxonomy, a statute is a formal written document that creates law; it is distinct from abstract legal theories and serves as the concrete manifestation of statutory law. It is an instance of a "legal term or legal concept" and a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule."

Structurally, this law consists of "legal norms" and operates as a "part of" the broader Brazilian legal system. Its creation was caused by "legislation," and it functions as the official record of a rule enacted by the government authority.

### Legislative Content and Scope
The core content of Law No. 3259 focuses on fiscal exemptions related to international trade. The law's digest explicitly states it "CONCEDE ISENÇÃO DE DIREITOS ADUANEIROS DE IMPORTAÇÃO PARA A PENICILINA INJETAVEL" (Grants exemption from customs import rights for Injectable Penicillin).

The structured data identifies the following key subjects addressed by the law:
-   **Tax Exemption:** The primary mechanism of the law (*Isenção*).
-   **Tariffs:** Specifically Customs Tariffs (*Taxa Aduaneira*).
-   **Import Tax:** The tax levied on goods entering the country (*Imposto De Importação*).
-   **Consumption Tax:** A tax on the consumption of goods (*Imposto De Consumo*).

The specific scope mentioned in the digest is "injectable penicillin imported until December 31, 1947." This indicates the law's effect was directed at a specific historical window of pharmaceutical imports.

### Historical and Political Context
The statute was promulgated on **September 6, 1957**, a period defined by the presidency of **Juscelino Kubitschek**. The law was approved via "promulgation" by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

Geographically, the law originates from **Brazil**, a federal republic in South America. At the time of the law's enactment, the federal capital was **Rio de Janeiro**; the transition to the new capital, Brasília, occurred in April 1960. Thus, this law is a product of the Rio de Janeiro administration period.

### Accessibility and Identifiers
Law No. 3259 is fully integrated into Brazil's digital legal infrastructure.
-   **Official Web Portal:** The full text is hosted by the Planalto Palace's civil office at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3259.htm`.
-   **LexML Brazil:** It is assigned the Uniform Resource Name (URN) `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-09-06;3259`, which allows for standardized identification across legal databases.
-   **Legal Citation:** It is standardly cited as *Lei nº 3259/1957*.
-   **WikiProject Inclusion:** The entity is on the focus list of **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its relevance in structured knowledge projects regarding Brazilian legislation.

### Public Domain Status
Consistent with the "edict of government doctrine" common in many jurisdictions, this statute is in the **public domain**. As an official legal document enacted by the government, it is not subject to copyright restrictions. This ensures that the legal rules governing the public are freely accessible to the public.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1957-09-06;3259)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3259&ano=1957&data=06/09/1957&ato=9ecMTQU9UMNRVT977)
3. LexML Brasil