MercadoLibre seeks 90-day pause in Anatel lawsuits

MercadoLibre requested in early September a 90-day suspension of lawsuits it filed in the Federal District, Osasco, and São Paulo against the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel). The legal dispute challenges the regulator's authority to impose sector rules on digital marketplaces, specifically the requirement to ensure that only telecom equipment certified by Anatel is sold on its platform.

According to the company's filing, the request for a pause is an act of good faith, transparency, and cooperation aimed at advancing out-of-court negotiations toward a consensual solution. MercadoLibre had previously secured injunctions that temporarily suspended the enforcement of the obligations set by Anatel.

Edson Holanda, an Anatel board member who handles relations with digital platforms, welcomed the truce. He stated that the agency seeks to establish a compliance plan with marketplaces and may consider converting fines into specific operational obligations. Holanda also noted that the regulator reopened talks after receiving signals that uncertified equipment listings would be phased out, pointing to a duty of care reinforced by the Federal Supreme Court's review of Article 19 of the Civil Rights Framework for the Internet.