Source: CNI Agency, 15/04/2008

São Paulo - Former Federal Revenue Secretary Everardo Maciel, a member of the Higher Council of Economics (Cosec) of the Federation of State Industries (FIESP), participated yesterday in the institution's headquarters at a meeting where the reform proposal was discussed tax, sent by the Federal Government to the National Congress.

"It is not a legal text, but a set of ideas," said Maciel, who criticized the text, which in his analysis has numerous shortcomings such as methodological, political and tax mistakes. In methodological terms, he criticizes the Constitution's treatment of tax reform, the possibility of opening up to broad judicial discussions and the existence of gaps in fully open rules. "When the normative scope is unknown, it can be dangerous," he noted.

On the political issue, Maciel points to the usurpation of the legislative function of the National Congress, in particular the Federal Senate, which will have to ratify the decisions of the National Council for Farm Policy (Confaz), and the reopening of political debates on revenue sharing and linking federal.

In the tax aspect, the deficiencies relate to the clear possibility of increasing the tax burden, raising the levels of complexity of the system and linking urgent solutions to the promulgation of the PEC as a reduction of the social security employer rates.

For the director, in general terms, the proposal will have uniform rates, which will inevitably lead to an increase in the tax burden for the sectors less taxed by PIS / Cofins. In addition, with the approval of the text there should be a virtual elimination of simplified systems and mechanisms, the possibility of a resurgence of tax evasion in the fuel sector and the conversion of tax contributions, in an illogical way.

Cosec's president, ex-minister Delfim Netto, said that much of the council agrees with Everardo Maciel's analysis, which he classified as surgical. "This is not a technical problem, but a legal problem," he said. The meeting was attended by federal deputies Albano Franco (PSDB / SE), Carlito Merss (PT / SC) and Bruno Araújo (PSDB / PE).