“Maintaining ZFM is not a privilege, but environmental compensation”, says Wilson in a meeting with Lira

Brasilia DF) – Governor Wilson Lima reinforced, this Thursday (22), the defense of the Manaus Free Trade Zone (ZFM) during a meeting on tax reform, convened by the president of the Federal Chamber, deputy Arthur Lira, in Brasília. At the time, the governor pointed out that the ZFM accounts for almost 70% of the state’s economy and is an instrument for protecting the forest by generating jobs and income for the population of Amazonas, which is home to the largest part of the Amazon.

The rapporteur for the tax reform, deputy Aguinaldo Ribeiro, participated in the meeting and again emphasized that the proposal provides for the maintenance of the constitutional rights of the ZFM, which is also a consensus in the National Committee of Secretaries of Finance, Finance, Revenue or Taxation of the States and of the Federal District (Comsefaz).

In defense of the Manaus Free Trade Zone, Wilson Lima highlighted that the model generates more than 500,000 direct and indirect jobs in already urbanized areas, which guarantees the protection of the forest. He said he remains available, along with his team and Amazonian parliamentarians, to resolve doubts on the subject and reinforced that the state of Amazonas does not want privileges, but rather compensation for preserving the forest.

“The Free Zone represents something around 70% of economic activity in our state, it is the most significant model of economic development in the Amazon, social development and also protection of the forest. To weaken the Manaus Free Trade Zone is to burn the forest. It is a preserved free zone, standing forest. We cannot do without this model, we do not want privileges, we are only asking for compensation for what we have been doing, an opportunity for the Amazon people to continue surviving”,

stressed Wilson Lima.

The governor stated that the meeting was important to clarify aspects of the tax reform and for political alignment between the Federal Chamber and governors. The expectation is that the text will be released this Thursday and, with that, technical teams from the Government of Amazonas will look into the document to understand the real content of the proposal, understanding convergent and divergent issues.

Governors of other states and the Federal District also participated in the meeting. The meeting served to present the main points of the tax reform text, which should be released in the coming hours. The forecast is that the proposal goes through and is returned in the first week of July, according to Arthur Lira. Also participating in the meeting were parliamentarians and state managers, such as the Finance Secretary of Amazonas, Alex Del Giglio.

Proposal

During the meeting, a proposal for the Selective Tax was presented so that the Manaus Free Trade Zone maintains its competitiveness even after the end of the incentive of the Tax on Industrialized Products (IPI), which today attracts companies installed in the industrial center of Manaus. According to the Finance Department of Amazonas, the expectation is to contemplate with a zero rate the main products produced in the ZFM.

Discussions

Among the topics addressed at the meeting, the governors were given details on how the transition will take place – with a forecast of 50 years – to the Dual Value Added Tax (VAT), divided between a federal tax and other state and municipal taxes. Thus, the current IPI, PIS, Cofins, ICMS, and ISS will be replaced.

In the case of the ZFM, Aguinaldo Ribeiro said that the Selective Tax, which will replace the IPI, will support the State and Federal District Participation Fund (FPE), the Municipalities Participation Fund (FPM) and the Free Zone itself. . On the last 6th of June, when reading the report of the work group of the Federal Chamber that discusses the reform, the rapporteur recognized the essentiality of the model for the economic development of the North region.

Also during the meeting, the president of Comsefaz, Carlos Eduardo Xavier, who is Secretary of Taxation for the State of Rio Grande do Norte, highlighted that the option for dual VAT is unanimous. In addition, according to him, the theme of the Free Zone needs to advance in the Union.

Dual VAT

According to Arthur Lira, the text of the tax reform is ready, but before being released, it was presented to the governors. The forecast of the president of the Chamber is that, in the first week of July, the deputies will dedicate themselves to the appreciation and possible vote on the matter.

*With advisory information

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