AM bench pays attention to tax reform and signs against ZFM

Manaus (AM) – As one of the main challenges of the Lula government, tax reform is also an agenda of interest to the National Congress. The parliamentarians of the Amazon bench are already paying attention to the articulations and meetings regarding the elaboration of the possible ways of the new tax norm, either for the indication of the new group that will discuss the reform, regarding the signals of members of the Ministry of Economy against the Free Zone from Manaus (ZFM).

The president of the Federal Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP), said that next week the working group that will discuss the tax reform will be defined. To Em Tempo, federal deputy Saullo Viana (União Brasil) pointed out that the reformulation of taxation will not yet be discussed in the Chamber in the coming days, but that there is a hurry in the approval of the reform, both by the National Congress and by the Federal Government.

“There is a consensus here in Congress and there is also a consensus in the government that this reform is important for Brazil. All of us, entrepreneurs, taxpayers, the population in general, feel the high tax burden of the various taxes that you have to pay. This issue of tax reform will simplify the collection of taxes”,

he said.

The deputy pointed out that the reform may be postponed depending on the developments in relation to tax incentives. Today, companies in the Manaus Free Trade Zone enjoy tax benefits, which makes the region attractive to businesses.

“It’s not just the Free Zone that has tax incentives. There are several sectors of the economy that have tax incentives and several states. So, just as we will fight for the Free Trade Zone, there are other states that will also fight for tax incentives in their states because of the real issue of the economy and job creation. So this will be widely debated.”

highlighted Saullo Vianna.

As one of the defenders of tax reform, congressman Saullo Vianna understands that the change in the tax system must take into account the particularities of each state and region of the country.

“There is no way you can treat the state of São Paulo in the same way that you are going to treat the state of Amazonas. They are totally different realities. So, obeying this question of the exceptionalities and needs of each state, it is a reform that is necessary for the country”, he said.

ZFM at risk

Federal deputy Amom Mandel (Cidadania) participated, this Wednesday (8), in the debate on tax reform at an event promoted by the political movement Renova-BR, in Brasília. Also present was Special Secretary for Tax Reform Bernard Appy.

On social media, Amom Mandel criticized Appy’s statements during the event. According to the parliamentarian, the secretary was against tax benefits such as those in the Manaus Free Trade Zone, and declared that the Federal Government is interested in putting an end to these incentives.

“The declaration goes against what Lula promised during the campaign: “Zona Franca will be untouchable”. It is also the opposite of what Alckmin told me and other deputies yesterday”, published the deputy.

To Em Tempo, deputy Amom Mandel explained that secretary Bernard Appy understands that companies are currently seeking more tax benefits in Brazil, an idea that represents an “inversion of the logic of economic growth”, being necessary, in the secretary’s view, “to extinguish all kind of benefit and move industries to where they have a geographic advantage so they can focus on improving the production process”.

According to the deputy, the secretary’s speeches directly affect the Manaus Free Trade Zone. This is because the economic model depends on tax benefits to maintain competitiveness, and consequently, the jobs that exist.

The parliamentarian also defends the tax reform the way it is being processed in congress with PEC 45/2019 and PEC 110/2019, because, according to the deputy, it “maintains the benefits of the ZFM, but the secretary’s speech seems to want to change that” .

“For that reason, I questioned the secretary about the risk that the ZFM is taking of ending these tax benefits, if he would have the competence to make these statements, since President Lula himself guaranteed the tax protection of the Free Zone and Vice President Alckmin reaffirmed this commitment this week, during a meeting of the Parliamentary Entrepreneurship Front”,

he said.

The deputy told Em Tempo that Appy replied that he would have alternatives to guarantee the protection of the ZFM. However, he did not detail what those options would be.

“I’m trying to schedule an appointment with him so we can discuss this urgent matter. So far, there has not been a dialogue between the secretary and the Amazonian bench about this. I am concerned with ensuring that the tax reform does not harm our region in any way,” said the deputy.

Senate

Faced with the discussions on the tax reform, senator Plinio Valério (PSDB) stated that he will keep an eye out so as not to let the Free Zone be harmed.

‘It is a very difficult discussion, because it also happens to be regional. I’ll give you an example, I’m a republican, I want the best for Brazil, but if they mess with the Free Zone, I’ll forget about it, I’ll fight for the Free Zone. So, it’s very delicate, and you have to slice it by item, if you don’t slice it, it’s all very difficult. So, we are rooting for it to come, and we can really face this issue”,

stated.

On Tuesday (7), Senator Eduardo Braga (MDB), participated in a meeting with the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, and other leaders of the Senate, with the agenda of the meeting being “improvements for the business environment and the economy from the country”.

The senator has already shown himself in favor of the reform. Also on Tuesday (7), Braga stated that “Brazil needs a tax reform that not only simplifies the costs of companies, but that can mean an improvement in tax activity, in addition to increasing employability in industry and other sectors of the economy”.

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Members of the AM federal bench are sworn in at the Federal Chamber

Members of the AM federal bench are sworn in at the Federal Chamber