In a decade, the Institute collaborated for the evolution of the competitive ethics and for the reduction of the tolerance with the transgressions in the business environment of the Country

To celebrate its 10 years of operation, the Brazilian Institute of Ethics in Competition (ETCO) held a breakfast last Wednesday, April 10, in São Paulo, which brought together members of the Management and Advisory Boards, representatives of sectorial entities and executives from companies in various sectors. During the meeting, the main achievements made between 2003 and 2013 were recalled and the activities planned for the year were presented.

“The first decade of ETCO's existence changed the competition scenario in Brazil, paving the way for significant improvements in the business environment and the Brazilian economy,” said Executive President Roberto Abdenur at the opening of the event. The projects supported by ETCO, such as the electronic invoice (NF-e), and others in which the Institute acts directly, such as the Cidade Piração Livre Program and the Underground Economy Index, were mentioned.

"ETCO works on causes that go beyond the interests of companies and sectors, but also serve the interests of Brazil," explained Abdenur. A clear example of this action was the promulgation of article 146-A, resulting from Constitutional Amendment nº 42/2003. The article provides that States, the Federal District and municipalities, in addition to the Union, institute differentiated taxation systems in order to prevent competitive imbalances caused by private actions that use the reduction of their tax costs to gain spurious competitive advantages. The article was a suggestion by ETCO, which is now working to enact a complementary law, which is essential for its application.

 

Events to celebrate 10 years of ETCO

To celebrate the first decade of ETCO's performance, the 10 + 10 Debate Cycle will be held to outline a retrospective of competitive ethics in Brazil and the prospects for the next decade. The Debate Cycle will take place in three stages: on June 6 in Rio de Janeiro, August 21 in Brasília and October 16 in São Paulo. All events will have representatives from the state or federal governments and the private sector, such as businessman Jorge Gerdau Johannpeter in Brasília and Fábio Barbosa, president of the Abril Group, in São Paulo. Registration is free and places are limited. “We are going to promote a reflection on the progress we have made so far,” said Heloisa Ribeiro, Executive Director of ETCO.

In addition, book launches will continue in 2013, as will ETCO's participation in important events that discuss the theme of business ethics and the economy in general.

 

ETCO Journalism Award

Another important novelty for this year is the first edition of the ETCO Journalism Award, which will include journalistic works that stimulate society's awareness of topics such as illegal trade, informality, piracy and the complexity of the tax system, as well as tax evasion and tax evasion. impact of corruption on the economy.

Reports published in newspapers, magazines, radios, televisions and electronic vehicles in the period between January 1, 2012 and August 1, 2013, may compete for the prize. The regulations can be consulted at www.etco.org.br/premio and the award ceremony will take place on November 7, 2013, in São Paulo.

 

These 10 years deserve a great celebration, because, if we look back, during this period, Brazil achieved unimaginable conquests and part of this merit comes, precisely, from the improvement of the understanding of the concepts preached by ETCO. ”

Luiz Fernando Furlan, member of the ETCO Advisory Board and former Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade

 

Brazil needs to strengthen the links of ethics, legality, combating practices that pervert competition and harm the whole of society, be it the purse, which loses a lot with tax evasion, or the consumer, who loses with these illegal practices. ”

Edson Vismona, Executive President of the National Forum against Piracy and Illegality (FNCP)

 

This all makes ETCO, in these 10 years, proud of what it has already done, but with the awareness that it has much more to do. ”

Aristides Junqueira, member of the ETCO Advisory Council and former Attorney General

 

ETCO is one of the most active civil society entities, and has really supported with great skill and efficiency all the projects that the CNCP has developed. ”

Rodolfo Tamanaha, Executive Secretary of the National Council to Combat Piracy (CNCP)

 

Brazil has everything to succeed and depends on society to be aware of what needs to be done for the good of all. And ETCO is a very important tool for this awareness. ”

Roberto Faldini, member of the ETCO Advisory Board and Director of FIESP / CIESP

 

It is very rare for an entity to develop and achieve expressive results as ETCO has achieved. We have seen in terms of numbers and data that there has actually been a decrease in certain practices, such as unfair competition, tax evasion and others. ”

Hamilton Dias de Souza, member of the ETCO Advisory Board and specialist in Tax Law