Tag: Parliamentary front to fight smuggling

São Paulo launches Parliamentary Front to fight smuggling

 

SP front-parliamentary-combat-contraband_6d5a56c1The most developed state of the federation is also the largest consumer of contraband products and an important pole of distribution of these goods to the rest of the country. In 2016 alone, São Paulo lost R $ 3,13 billion in tax evasion and the most affected sectors are tobacco, auto parts, electronics, clothing items, beverages and fuels.

Faced with this serious problem of public interest that affects the lives of millions of Paulistanos, the State Parliamentary Front to Combat Smuggling was launched in late June. Led by state deputy Jorge Caruso (PMDB), the new front already has the participation of about 40 deputies. This initiative by state legislators aims to:
- Define and present proposals for legislation that contribute to the effective fight against smuggling and counterfeiting in the State;
- To charge public authorities, in all their instances, for the execution of firm and immediate actions to reduce the problem of smuggling, counterfeiting and its negative impacts on society;
- Take the discussion on smuggling and counterfeiting to the whole of society through debates and public hearings;
- Investigate other ways that can be taken so that the country is no longer a victim of these crimes.
For deputy Jorge Caruso, the creation of the Front demonstrates the commitment of the São Paulo legislature to face this serious crime. “Smuggling is an activity dominated by gangs like the PCC. These criminals use the profits generated by smuggling to finance other crimes such as drug and arms trafficking ”
Only tax evasion caused by cigarette smuggling in the state of São Paulo reached R $ 2,68 billion last year. This is the smuggling champion product and, currently, 45% of the cigarettes sold in São Paulo are smuggled. The best-selling brand, Eight, is manufactured in Paraguay and sold illegally in our cities. Rhodolpho Ramazzini, director of the Brazilian Association to Combat Counterfeiting (ABCF), believes that in recent years the authorities have stepped up efforts to combat smuggling , but believes that this is still not enough. "We need more integration between the different spheres of power, and the creation of the State Parliamentary Front is another step in that direction"

Bill of Law

As the first act of the Parliamentary Front, deputy Jorge Caruso announced the State Day to Combat Smuggling. The goal is that every year, on August 3, paulistanos can debate issues related to smuggling from different perspectives: economic, social, health, security, among others.

Movement in Defense of the Brazilian Legal Market

Created in 2014, the Movement is led by ABCF, by Brazilian Institute of Competition Ethics (ETCO) and the National Forum Against Piracy and Illegality (FNCP) and has more than 70 entities and associations from different productive sectors affected by illegality in Brazil.

Public Hearing of the Mixed Parliamentary Front to Fight Smuggling and Counterfeiting in Porto Alegre

Public Hearing of the Mixed Parliamentary Front to Combat Smuggling and Counterfeiting.
Public Hearing of the Mixed Parliamentary Front to Combat Smuggling and Counterfeiting.

Porto Alegre, July 17, 2015 - Brazil is losing the fight for smuggling. Products from different sectors enter the country illegally, without technical or health certification and without collecting taxes, which ends up generating a huge tax evasion to public coffers, in addition to harming people's health, subtracting Brazilian jobs, increasing insecurity in cities and borders and undermine national sovereignty and defense.

Annually, billions of reais in taxes are no longer collected due to the illegal entry of products into the country. The estimate is that the country has losses of around R $ 100 billion with contraband (sector losses + tax evasion), a sufficient resource to build 1,4 million popular houses, 105 thousand km of highways, 77 thousand hospital beds and 19 thousand daycare centers.

The president of the Mixed Parliamentary Front to Combat Smuggling and Counterfeiting, Mr Efraim Filho (DEM / PB) points out that the government lacks momentum in the fight against smuggling. “In recent years, the government has carried out the successful Agate operations, a union of federal forces such as the Army, the Federal Police, among others, for the closure of borders, one of the most effective ways to combat smuggling. But in 2015, when we entered the second semester, nothing was done in this regard. ”

For the parliamentarian, "the Mercosur summit e is an excellent opportunity for the Brazilian government to demand from the president of Paraguay, Horácio Cartes, measures to combat the indiscriminate smuggling of products that cross the border towards Foz do Iguaçu".

The hearing took place at the headquarters of Afocefe, an entity representing the State Revenue Tax Technicians.

Source: No Contraband website (17/07).

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