Petrobras (PBR)

(n) Accounting for the effect of Federal Government regulation

As provided in the Petroleum Law, the fuel market in Brazil was totally liberalized as of January 1, 2002 permitting other companies to produce and sell on the domestic market and, also, import and export oil products. Additionally, as from January 1, 2002, PETROBRAS is no longer required to charge the prices established by the Federal Government on the sale of oil products, and the realization price is no longer established by a formula adjusted to the international market.

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Table of Contents

2. Summary of significant accounting policies (Continued)

(n) Accounting for the effect of Federal Government regulation (Continued)

Considering the liberation of the market and current legislation, as from January 1, 2002, the Petroleum and Alcohol Account will no longer be used to reimburse expenses related to the supply of oil products and fuel alcohol to PETROBRAS and third parties. The movements in the account for periods after 2002 relate only to (i) payments and adjustments mandated by the Agência Nacional do Petróleo - ANP ("ANP") with no impact on the income statement and (ii) adjustments resulting from the audit of the account by the ANP.

The impact of Federal Government regulation on the Company’s balance sheet and operating structure has been recorded in the Petroleum and Alcohol Account as of, and for the years ended, December 31, 2005 and 2004 (see Note 12).

The Contribuição de Intervenção no Domínio Econômico (Contribution of Intervention in the Economic Domain Charge - CIDE) on the importation and sale of fuels was established by Law No. 10,336 dated December 19, 2001.

The CIDE is a per-transaction payment to the Brazilian Government required to be made by producers, blenders and importers upon sales and purchases of specified oil and fuel products at a set amount for different products based on the unit of measurement typically used for such products.