Interview: Hamilton Dias de Souza
Hamilton Dias de Souza (*), member of the ETCO Advisory Board since its foundation, in an exclusive interview, evaluates the importance of competition ethics to improve the business environment in the country.
- What is the importance of promoting competitive ethics for the development of the country?
Hamilton Dias de Souza – Ethics has to do with the limits for human action and with the identification, in a set of possible choices, of those that are socially acceptable. THE competitive ethics, therefore, involves make distinctions between what is good (acceptable) and what is not, within the scope of economic activity and the relationship that the State maintains with economic agents. In this sense, it is of fundamental importance in structuring development, maintaining a healthy economy and making choices judicious economics, in favor of society.
- How do you see ETCO's contribution to improving the business environment in these almost 20 years of operation?
ETCO has made relevant contributions to correcting imbalances and fighting unfair competition. the art. 146-A of the Constitution (EC 42/03) is the result of the efforts of the Institute, which, today, works for the approval of a complementary law that regulates it. In addition, many of the advances in the fight against persistent debtors would not have been possible without the help of ETCO.
However, the Institute has relevant contributions to make in the present, starting with the defense of our democratic institutions and the exercise of their informational paper in relation to the viability of the economic proposals under discussion during the electoral period.
3. And what would be the challenges for the coming years?
I insist on saying that many Brazilian problems are ethical problems. It must not be accepted that the enlargement of the State, the chronic corruption of certain sectors and the privileges of certain special classes of citizens harm the economy, impoverish the country and deteriorate the well-being.
For the future, the biggest challenges that the country has to face are the structural reforms, not only the tax reform, but, above all, that of the Brazilian State. ETCO has much to contribute in these matters.
(*) Hamilton Dias de Souza is a lawyer, Specialist in Tax Law and Master in Economic and Financial Law. He is a member of the Board of the Instituto dos Advogados de São Paulo, of the Brazilian Academy of Tax Law, of the Legal Council of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP), of the CAEFT – Council for Advanced Studies in Finance and Taxation and of the Advisory Board. ETCO – Brazilian Institute of Competition Ethics. Former President and current Member of the International Academy of Law and Economics. Holder of Chair nº 34 of the Paulista Academy of Law. He was a professor of Tax Law at the Law School of the University of São Paulo – USP. He has several published works. Founder and owner of Dias de Souza Associated Lawyers.
