The president of the National Congress, Senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), evaluated today (12) that the moment “is one of frustration of expectations” in relation to the price of fuel in the country.
“We had expectations in Brazil of a containment in the increase in fuel prices that did not take place”, he said after receiving members of the National Committee of Secretaries of Finance, Finance, Revenue or Taxation of the States and Federal District (Consefaz).
After the meeting, the senator defended that “there is no villain and good guy in this story” and demanded greater participation from all federative entities and from Petrobras in the discussion of measures that result in the reduction of values. “No one wants absolute sacrifice from anyone, but we want everyone’s collaboration,” he emphasized.
Pacheco recognized the participation of the Union, by taking measures regarding the tax participation in fuels, of the states that, since November 2021, adopted the single tariff. In addition, according to the senator, there is a need for Petrobras to fulfill its social purpose of ensuring that fuels do not suffer so much price adjustment.
In the fight for measures that can alleviate the price of fuel at the pump, the finance secretaries argue that, by adopting the ICMS freeze, since November 2021, they did their part, since the loss of revenue, estimated for the year 2022 , is more than R$ 30 billion.
In the conversation with Pacheco, one of the solutions advocated by the group was the reformulation of the tax system. In this sense, they defend the vote on the proposed constitutional amendment (PEC) 110/19, which, without consensus, is stuck in the Constitution Commission (CCJ) in the Senate. For managers, the approval of the proposal could bring a solution with the creation of a single tax, the value-added tax.
“PEC 110 should be discussed in the Senate in the coming weeks, I believe that this week the president of the CCJ, Davi Alcolumbre, will be able to submit PEC 110 to the CCJ’s scrutiny and, once approved by the CCJ, he has the commitment of the Senate presidency to appreciation of this PEC”, guaranteed Rodrigo Pacheco.
Another point defended by the secretaries was the Bill (PL) 1,472, already approved in the Senate, which is being analyzed in the Chamber. The proposal creates a system of price bands to limit the adjustment of oil and cooking gas (LPG) derivatives to the final consumer. The text also provides for a fuel allowance for low-income self-employed drivers.
According to Pacheco, as soon as the president of the Chamber returns from an official mission abroad, he will mediate a meeting with the participation of the deputy and the Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes. “I believe that this is a very necessary measure at this moment, especially after the announcement of Petrobras’ profit in the first quarter, in the order of R$ 44.5 billion. It is evident that the Union’s dividends must participate and contribute to this solution, especially for the society that most needs the containment of the increase in these fuels”, he defended.
Pacheco will also ask for a meeting with the Forum of Governors. “Now we have a challenge in June, it is a request that I will make to the governors of the states at this meeting, is that they keep this freeze [do ICMS] in relation to gasoline in order to maintain the logic of a balanced and stabilized collection without taking advantage of fuel price increases. That alone is already a great benefit of the Complementary Law 192 [que alterou a tributação sobre combustíveis]but we will also take care to identify other measures that can be taken in addition to these, in order to solve our country’s fuel problem”, he said.
