Senate Plenary.| Photo: Geraldo Magela/Agência Senado

The Senate approved this Tuesday (21) the extension from 48 to 72 months for the payment of loans from the National Support Program for Micro and Small Businesses (Pronampe). The text, which goes on to be sanctioned, also stipulates a grace period of 12 months to start paying the loan and establishes a monthly interest ceiling of 6% plus the Selic rate.

The Chamber of Deputies had already approved Provisional Measure (MP) 1,139/2022, on March 1st. The money can be used for investments, such as buying equipment and carrying out renovations; for operating expenses, such as paying employee salaries, paying bills and purchasing goods, Agência Senado reported. The use of these loans for the purpose of distributing profits is prohibited.

Rapporteur in the Senate, Zenaide Maia (PSD-RN) presented a favorable opinion on the proposal with the rejection of all the amendments presented to avoid the return of the project to the Chamber and a possible loss of validity of the MP. The deadline for reviewing the text was April 5.

In assessing the matter, deputies and senators maintained the maximum limit of interest rates currently applied, the Selic rate plus 6% per year for contracts signed from 2021 onwards. However, the maximum rate applicable will be set by act of the Secretary of Micro and Small Business and Entrepreneurship, a body now subordinated to the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services.

The payment period will be extended from 60 to 72 months in cases where the contracting company has been recognized by the Federal Executive with the Selo Emprega + Mulher. The deadline had not been modified by the original MP. The text reopens, for another year, the deadline for companies to request the renegotiation of loans taken with resources from the constitutional funds of the North (FNO), Northeast (FNE) and Center West (FCO), according to the rules of Law 14.166, from 2021.