Sao Paulo, May 6, 2019 - While the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the digital transformation of business, government, education and health, the Covid-19 pandemic brought new challenges and the need to deeply review plans, strategies, goals and relationships. In this scenario, ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies is committed to its purpose of building a Healthier, More Digital and Less Unequal Brazil , in which information technology plays a fundamental role for the democratization of knowledge, the generation of jobs, the improvement of Brazilian competitiveness in the international market and the creation of new opportunities for all citizens. In view of its purpose and the challenging scenario, ABES intensified its work with the Federal Government to present suggestions for economic measures that help to mitigate the impacts that the entire Brazilian economy will face in the coming months, especially with regard to the liquidity of the private sector. . At the same time, the association has promoted debates that help to reflect on these changes and publicized initiatives that encourage innovation and economic recovery.
"We currently have a mission to mitigate the socioeconomic impact caused by the pandemic crisis, and collaborate in the process of resuming business, placing as a fundamental principle ensuring the liquidity of the productive sector and ensuring the maintenance of jobs. We believe that it is essential that the Government provide directly, through public financial agents, a credit line without intermediaries and without the need for collateral; in addition to creating a guarantee fund via BNDES to make credit available via private banks "explains Rodolfo Fücher, president of ABES.
Action plan
According to Fücher, the association drew up an action plan presented to the Federal Government at the end of March and, since then, it has been in dialogue with the Ministry of Economy and closely monitored the bills, ordinances and provisional measures. "Thanks to this articulation, which counts on the involvement of other sectorial entities, we were able to influence the debates and decisions in favor of the IT sector and, mainly, in favor of Brazil. We represent a segment that will generate many jobs in the country and that will absorb part of the collaborators from other sectors most affected by the conjuncture ", he summarizes.
As part of this work, ABES has been participating in weekly meetings since April, coordinated by Carlos da Costa, special secretary for Productivity, Employment and Competitiveness (Sepec), of the Ministry of Economy, which has played a fundamental role in articulating the demands of the sector from you.
Balance of claims and update of the plan
At the virtual meeting, several actions were discussed and an assessment of the economic measures already implemented was carried out. The claims accepted and under study are:
1) easing of guarantees to obtain lines of financing, which help in the operationalization of credit at the end for the entrepreneur;
2) the use of the Union Guarantee Fund, with no financial counterpart from the companies;
3) maintenance of public contracts, settlement of Union debts with suppliers and agility in the payment flow;
4) possibility of the salary being transformed into allowance during the public calamity period, which contributes to the payroll tax relief;
5) exemption, until September 30, of the presentation of several certificates for obtaining credit in public financial institutions and their subsidiaries.
"There are 33 years working in the sector and we know the real problems that affect the majority of our associates. During this period, we have built an excellent dialogue in the various spheres of Government. With the support of our Legal Department and the Regulatory Committee, we have updated our action plan, taking into account the demands met, even partially, and the demands we continue to struggle with. We have improved our plan by including suggestions on how our proposals can be implemented, so we are much more assertive and show that our requests are viable ", evaluates Francisco Camargo.
The most recent version of the ABES Action Plan is available for download. It consists of the following proposals for economic measures:
• EXTENSION OF LABOR CHARGES FOR 12 MONTHS AND RELEASE FROM THE PAYROLL;
• DISCHARGE OF STATE COMMITMENTS TO SUPPLIERS;
• CREDIT LINES;
• EXTENSION OF TAX EXPIRATION;
• FACILITATION AND FLEXIBILIZATION IN THE PRESENTATION OF GUARANTEES.
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, 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, totaling around 85% of the software and services segment revenue in Brazil, distributed in 23 Brazilian states and the Federal District, responsible for the generation of more than 205 thousand direct jobs and an annual revenue of the order of R? 61 billion in 2018.
Access the ABES Portal – http://www.abes.org.br // Relationship Center: +55 (11) 2161-2833.
ABES - Press contacts:
Weber Shandwick Brasil - abes@webershandwick.com
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