# Law No. 4138 of September 17, 1962 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105648386](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648386) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4138-of-september-17-1962 ## Summary **Law No. 4138 of September 17, 1962** is a Brazilian statute that authorizes the Executive Branch to enact regulations necessary for Brazil's adherence to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Promulgated by President João Goulart in Brasília, it serves as a formal legal instrument facilitating the country's participation in international trade agreements. The law is officially classified as a statute and applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil. ## Key Facts - **Official Title:** Lei nº 4138, de 17 de setembro de 1962. - **Alternative Names:** Lei nº 4138/1962; Lei nº 4138, de 17 de setembro de 1962. - **Classification:** Instance of a **statute** (a formal written document that creates law). - **Date of Publication:** September 17, 1962. - **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil. - **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. - **Signed By:** João Goulart (President). - **Jurisdiction:** Brazil. - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese. - **Main Subjects:** Authorization; Executive Branch (Executivo); General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Acordo Geral Sobre Tarifas E Comercio - GATT). - **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 4138/1962. - **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-09-17;4138. - **Official Source URL:** Available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4138.htm. - **Wikimedia Project Status:** Listed on the focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws. ## FAQs **What is the primary purpose of Law No. 4138?** The law's primary function is to grant authorization to the Executive Branch. Specifically, it empowers the Executive to issue the necessary regulations for Brazil to adhere to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). **Who signed Law No. 4138 into effect?** The statute was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and signed by President João Goulart on September 17, 1962. **What international agreement does this law reference?** The law explicitly references the **General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)**, identified in the text as "Acordo Geral Sobre Tarifas E Comercio." **Where can the official text of Law No. 4138 be accessed?** The official text is hosted by the Brazilian government at the Planalto website (https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4138.htm) and is indexed under the LexML identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-09-17;4138`. ## Why It Matters Law No. 4138 holds significance as a foundational legal instrument for Brazil's integration into the global trade system. By authorizing the Executive Branch to enact regulations for adherence to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the statute facilitated Brazil's formal participation in the multilateral trading system. This legislative action provided the necessary domestic legal framework for the country to engage with international trade rules and tariff negotiations during the early 1960s. As a statute, it represents a concrete manifestation of statutory law, creating binding legal norms that governed the country's trade policy implementation. ## Notable For - **International Trade Integration:** Explicitly links Brazilian domestic law to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). - **Historical Context:** Signed by President João Goulart during a pivotal period in Brazilian political history. - **Legal Classification:** Serves as a clear example of a "statute"—a formal written document that creates law—distinguished from broader legal concepts. - **Public Accessibility:** The text is available in the public domain via official government portals, ensuring transparency and adherence to the rule of law. - **Structured Data Compliance:** Identified by a specific LexML URN, integrating it into Brazil's official legal knowledge base. ## Body ### Legislative Definition and Context Law No. 4138 is formally defined as a **statute**, which constitutes a formal written document created to establish law. In the context of legal taxonomy, a statute is a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule," serving as the manifestation of statutory law. This specific statute was created through the legislative process of Brazil, functioning as the official record of the legal rules enacted by the government. ### Provisions and Subject Matter The content of Law No. 4138 focuses on three primary subjects as stated in its text: 1. **Authorization:** The law functions as a legislative authorization. 2. **Executive Branch (Executivo):** It directs the Executive Branch to take action. 3. **General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT):** The action authorized involves the regulations necessary for Brazil's adherence to this international agreement (referred to in Portuguese as "Acordo Geral Sobre Tarifas E Comercio"). ### Enactment and Authority The statute was promulgated on **September 17, 1962**, in the capital city of **Brasília**. The approving authority is listed as the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The act of promulgation was performed by **João Goulart**, who was serving as President at the time. The determination method for this law is explicitly recorded as "promulgation." ### Jurisdiction and Language The law applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil**. The official language of the document is **Brazilian Portuguese**, consistent with the country's official linguistic standards. ### Identification and Archival The statute is rigorously indexed within Brazilian legal databases: - **LexML Brazil ID:** The unique identifier is `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-09-17;4138`. This URN (Uniform Resource Name) provides a persistent link to the legal text. - **Legal Citation:** It is formally cited as **Lei nº 4138/1962**. - **Wikidata Description:** The entity is described simply as "Brazilian law." - **WikiProject Inclusion:** It is included in the "on focus list of Wikimedia project" specifically for **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its relevance to collaborative knowledge curation. ### Official Publication The full text of Law No. 4138 is accessible to the public via the official portal of the Brazilian Presidency. The **work available at URL** is located at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4138.htm`. This accessibility aligns with the general principle that statutes, as "edicts of government," are public domain documents essential for the rule of law. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1962-09-17;4138) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4138&ano=1962&data=17/09/1962&ato=9f3Aza61kMVRVT820)