Alckmin defends taxation of online purchases – 04/14/2023 – Market

Acting president Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) said this Friday (14) that he is in favor of trade and the expansion of electronic commerce, including with international platforms, but he stressed that there must be “legal competition”.

The statement by the vice president and minister of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services comes amid the wear and tear suffered by the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva due to the end of the import tax exemption of up to US$ 50 for individual shipments physical to natural person.

“Electronic commerce is positive, now we need to have fair competition. We cannot have unfair competition, with someone with commerce here implementing, paying taxes, generating jobs having one type of taxation. And another type of taxation [para compra internacionais] making competition that is not fair. That is the goal [da nova regra]just that one”, said Alckmin in an interview with Bandnews radio.

The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) announced this week the end of the import tax exemption of up to US$ 50 for international shipments from individuals to individuals. The purpose of the measure was to combat the so-called “digital smuggling”, which can generate up to US$ 8 billion in revenue for public coffers.

The measure, however, was not initially well explained by the government, which ended up accused of promoting a new taxation.

According to the Federal Revenue, the rules no longer allow exemption for purchases of products from companies and, therefore, what is being sought is the effective payment of the due tax.

There will no longer be any distinction in treatment for remittances by legal entities and individuals – which today would serve only for generalized fraud, according to the government. The measure affects consumers of virtual stores such as Shein, Shopee and AliExpress, which are very popular among Brazilians.

Alckmin also stated that the new proposed fiscal framework will provide security for a future reduction in the basic interest rate. The acting president said that the proposal is in the final stages of elaboration and that it will be sent to the National Congress in the coming days.

“I like to call it fiscal anchorage, that is, Brazil cannot spend more than it collects and needs to make a debt reduction curve, fiscal anchorage. The project is ready, it should also be sent to Congress in the next few days and will bring, I would say, even more security, for us to have a reduction in interest rates”, he said.