Finance and evangelicals negotiate to clarify tax immunity for temples – 03/13/2024 – Panel

Evangelical federal deputies met this Wednesday (13) with Minister Fernando Haddad (Finance) and the Secretary of the Federal Revenue, Robinson Barreirinhas, to discuss the expansion of tax immunity for temples and the suspension of an act that increased the exemption of imposed on pastors and churches.

The president of the evangelical bench, Eli Borges (PL-TO), and federal deputies Cezinha de Madureira (PSD-SP), David Soares (União-SP) and Marcos Soares (União-RJ) were at the Treasury.

Participants at the meeting stated that the minister was willing to settle both points on a legal, technical and legislative basis.

In the case of the PEC (proposed amendment to the Constitution) that expands tax immunity to churches, the Treasury and evangelical parliamentarians agreed on a wording that makes it clear that the benefit would apply to religious entities and their branches, such as foundations and daycare centers.

The wording approved by the Chamber’s special committee was viewed with concern by the Treasury due to the possibility that immunity could hypothetically be claimed in other areas — if a religious entity decided to open a pharmacy, for example.

An agglutinative amendment to the PEC will then be presented with the adjustment to make it clear that only the religious entity and its ramifications would be included in immunity. The intention is to vote in the Chamber this semester.

In the case of the suspension of the Federal Revenue act published by the administration of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) in 2022, Haddad would have said that the measure was adopted until the TCU (Federal Audit Court) judges the process. After the body’s decision, the minister intends to issue an ordinance to bring clarity to Revenue auditors.

The ADI (Interpretive Declaratory Act) No. 1, of July 29, 2022, expanded the scope of tax exemption for pastors — a strong core of support for Bolsonaro, then a candidate for re-election — and was under investigation by the TCU (Federal Audit Court). ) since 2022 and reanalysis of Revenue from last year.

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