Source: Folha de S. Paulo - SP - DINHEIRO - 11/09/2009

OF THE BRASILIA SUCURSAL

In an attempt to reduce the smuggling of goods from Paraguay, the government yesterday regulated the law on sacoleiros, which authorizes the importation of up to R $ 110 thousand per year in products sold in that country. The law was passed by Congress in January.

The tax rate for merchants who create micro-companies and opt for Simples (simplified taxation system) will be 25%.

But as the process depends on the implementation of an integrated control between the two countries, there is still no date for the new system to start operating.

“The measure's bias is not merely collection. The main objective is to create a channel and provide the opportunity for formalization to encourage the sacoleiros to bring their business to legality ”, stated the Secretary of Taxation and Litigation of the Federal Revenue, Sandro Serpa.

The law creates the RTU (Single Taxation Regime) for land imports from the neighboring country. In this way, the measure centralizes in a single fixed tax a series of taxes of variable rates that today are paid by sacoleiros, such as IPI, Cofins and PIS / Pasep. "The sacoleiro will have to do the math to know how much he will gain or lose with the migration," said Serpa.

Quarterly limits were set for the purchases of each grocer who enters the regime, at R $ 18 thousand in the quarters of the first half of the year and R $ 37 thousand in the second half. In addition, the RTU will not be valid for purchases of arms and ammunition, explosives, drinks, cigarettes, medicine and vehicles and boats.
But if losses to the national industry are detected, the limits may be revised.

“The industrial pole of Manaus, for example, will not be affected. If that happens, there will be changes in the tax, which has a ceiling of 42,25% ”, guaranteed the coordinator of International Relations for the Revenue, Marcos Valadão.

Despite this, anti-piracy entities criticize the adoption of the single taxation model and the volume of import quotas. In a note, the president of IBL (Instituto Brasil Legal), Edson Vismona, considered that the government gave in to Paraguay's demands, in confrontation with the interests of national producers.