First individual microentrepreneur receives certificate

By ETCO

Source: DCI (Panorama Brasil Agência Sebrae), 04/08/2009

SÃO PAULO - The governor of São Paulo, José Serra, yesterday handed over the first certificate of constitution of Individual Microentrepreneur (MEI) in the State of São Paulo to the bricklayer Genésio de Souza Correia, a resident of Guarulhos.


 


According to the governor, formalization is essential to open up new opportunities for these workers. "Someone who is in the informal labor market does not have social security benefits, cannot get credit to grow, is on the sidelines," said Serra at the ceremony.


1.508 new microentrepreneurs have already registered with the Commercial Registry of the State of São Paulo and there are 25 company name inquiries.


 


According to data from IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), based on data from the 2003 National Household Sample Survey (Pnad), there are about 10,3 million entrepreneurs living in informality in Brazil. Of this total, 31% are in the State of São Paulo, which represents about 3,2 million entrepreneurs who work as hairdressers, grocers, boleiras, pipoqueiros, borracheiros, among others. The Individual Microentrepreneur (MEI) program was created so that self-employed workers who earn up to R $ 3 / month - or R $ 36 / year - can be legalized for a monthly fee of up to R $ 57,15, collected in a single booklet, which includes all federal, state and municipal taxes. The registration of microentrepreneurs is carried out by city halls and accounting offices registered in the Simples Nacional program. The goal of the State Government is to formalize 320 thousand workers in one year.


 


MEI was included in the State Program for Debureaucratization (Ped), coordinated by the Secretariat for Employment and Labor Relations (Sert). With support from the São Paulo State Board of Trade, city halls and entities, Sert has carried out actions in several municipalities to encourage adherence to the initiative.


 


Among those present at the ceremony were secretaries Guilherme Afif Domingos (Employment and Labor Relations), Mauro Ricardo Machado Costa (Fazenda), Aloysio Nunes Ferreira (Casa Civil) and Sidney Beraldo (Public Management).


 


General Micro Law


Sebrae and the National Front of Mayors launched yesterday, in Goiânia, a program of actions that aims to encourage the implementation of the General Law of Micro and Small Companies (Complementary Law 123/06) in the metropolitan regions of the country. Initially the work will be done in 10 regions, involving 107 municipalities.


The objective is to encourage mayors and public managers to promote the development and generation of jobs and income through the creation and improvement of an environment favorable to micro and small businesses. This is based on the General Law of Micro and Small Enterprises.


 


“The objective is to clarify and offer technical information to public managers on how to use the law to promote the economic and social development of their cities”, explains Sebrae Public Policy analyst William Brito. The Law establishes several incentives for micro and small enterprises. The Individual Entrepreneur, a legal figure included in the law, will also be highlighted.


 


The General Law came into force in December 2006 - except for the Simples Nacional, which came into force in July 2007, and the Individual Entrepreneur - which became effective in July 2009. So far, however, of the 5.564 municipalities in the country, only 698 have general municipal laws. In São Paulo, this month, the meetings will take place on the 25th and 26th, in the ABC paulista and fraction of the metropolitan region of São Paulo, with seven municipalities. In September, on the 10th and 11th, Campinas hosts, involving 14 municipalities.