The Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, criticized this Wednesday (13) the press’ stance in the journalistic coverage of the government’s attempt to put an end to tax exemptions in 17 sectors of the economy, including, among these sectors, the companies themselves. communication.
The statement was made at the entrance to the Ministry of Finance, when Haddad returned from meetings with the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira, and with the commanders of the Armed Forcesto discuss the new fiscal package to contain mandatory expenses.
“It is important that the press itself reassess the behavior it had last year, when the Treasury, rightly, announced the payroll tax relief numbers and the Perse numbers. We were heavily criticized, because we were supposedly exaggerating the numbers and today what is clear is that we were right and you, the press, were wrong. It is important for you to reflect on this because the fiscal effort has to be made by everyone, including yours. to defend general interests of the entire society.”
Haddad made reference to a Provisional Measure (MP) issued last year, with the aim of gradually reversing the full discount on social security taxes granted to companies. The text ended up suffering a setback in the National Congress and, in order to establish the charge, the government had to appeal to the Federal Supreme Court (STF). Only after a favorable decision by the STF, followed by the[https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/justica/noticia/2024-09/zanin-prorroga-prazo-para-conclusao-de-acordo-sobre-desoneracao” target=”_blank”>promoção de um acordo entre governo e Congresso, é que o fim da desoneração foi confirmado para entrar em vigor a partir do ano que vem.
“E hoje nós demos a público pela primeira vez na história os incentivos fiscais dados a cada empresa individualmente e aos setores, de uma forma agregada. Então, vocês vão ver que aquela medida do ano passado, que foi muito questionada, sobre desoneração da folha e sobre a questão do Perse [Programa Emergencial de Retomada do Setor de Eventos]as the Federal Revenue Service was right”, the minister also said.
He mentioned the presentation of a document that the Federal Revenue released earlier, with data revealing that 54,900 taxpayers who use tax credits resulting from tax benefits declared to have the value of R$ 97.7 billion, between January and August this year.
Tax package
The package to contain mandatory expenses, which has not yet been detailed, will consist of a proposed amendment to the Constitution (PEC) and a complementary bill (PLP), which need to be approved by the National Congress. There is still no official date for the presentation of the proposals, which depends on the approval of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. “I don’t know if there is enough time [para apresentar essa semana]. As soon as he [Lula] If you give authorization, we are ready to publicize the details of what is already being said here.”
According to Haddad, the concept of the fiscal package is to standardize all Union expenses to the rules of the fiscal framework, approved last year. Regarding the meeting with Lira, the minister stated that the president of the Chamber knows the dynamics of public expenses, was the main guarantor of the framework in Parliament and will support the processing of new measures to contain the public budget. Regarding the meeting with the Ministry of Defense and commanders of the Armed Forces, the Treasury’s idea, according to the minister, is to include expenses from these areas in the new package.
