ABES considers that the result demobilizes instruments to support the segment, such as the Informatics Law, with potential effects on the economic recovery and the maintenance of jobs
At the beginning of dawn on Friday (12), the Chamber of Deputies concluded the approval, in the second round, of the proposed amendment called Emergency PEC, which provides mechanisms to prevent uncontrolled public spending and makes it possible to resume emergency aid. Among the articles in the document, one of them concerns the technology sector, since it demobilizes support instruments such as the Informatics Law.
The government leadership, corroborated by the Economy note, indicates that the Informatics Law will be preserved in the proposal to reduce subsidies to be sent. This law is essential for the maintenance of foreign direct investments in the country, but it is important for the sector to be aware of the risks of non-compliance with this commitment. Its reduction or extinction, unmatched with tax simplification and reductions (which must be the result of tax and administrative reforms, respectively) will have an effect on the medium term of divestments and unemployment.
“We are concerned with Art. 4 grafted into the Emergency PEC (PEC 186/19), which determines the reduction of benefits and incentives, already during this year. This device makes it impossible to extend Folha's exemption and, in the case of the technology sector, it demobilizes various support instruments, such as the ICT Law (formerly the Informatics Law) and the Law of Good ”, explains Rodolfo Fücher, president ABES, which adds that “we understand that Art. 4 precipitates an increase in the tax burden without any virtuous counterpart, unlike PEC nº45, of the Tax Reform, which calls for a 10-year transition to the extinction of tax benefits and incentives , on the other hand, greater rationality in the tax system ”.
The sector fears the possibility of facing a strong impact on the country's economic recovery. The situation could be reversed in case of addressing a suppressive amendment or a highlight in plenary, removing all Art. 4 of the Emergency PEC.
According to Vanda Scartezini, director and advisor of the association, in the proposed law that they must send in six months on the incentives, there is a forecast of a reduction of 10% in the first year in relation to what it is today and this may still impact the Export License. “There is a movement in Congress for a new PEC. PEC 186 ended up being swallowed up by Congress concerned about the urgent need for emergency aid, which, in fact, should not be part of a PEC, due to its own temporary nature. In order to solve an emergency problem, the various measures, damage and negative impacts in the country that may result from its implementation were not discussed, ”he explains.
With the eventual extinction of the Lei do Bem (Law 11.196 / 05), the segment also fears for more negative effects. “This law offers tax incentives to companies that invest in research and innovation development activities related to the creation of new products, processes and technology services, such as the improvement of existing ones. Without this support, we lose investments for digital transformation and the sector's national competitiveness loses strength ”, concludes Andriei Gutierrez, coordinator of the ABES Regulatory Committee.
About ABES
ABES, Brazilian Association of Software Companies, aims to contribute to the construction of a more digital and less unequal Brazil, in which information technology plays a fundamental role in the democratization of knowledge and the creation of new opportunities for all. In this sense, it aims to ensure a business environment conducive to innovation, ethical, sustainable, dynamic and globally competitive, always aligned with its mission of connecting, guiding, protecting and developing the Brazilian information technology market.
Since its foundation in September 1986, ABES has sought to be relevant to its associates and a national and international reference in the technology sector. Currently, the entity represents approximately 2 thousand companies, which total about 85% of the revenue of the software and services segment in Brazil, distributed in 22 Brazilian states and the Federal District, responsible for the generation of more than 208 thousand direct jobs and an annual revenue around 63.7 billion in 2019.
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