Chamber approves Brazilian Tax Reform
In a historic vote, this Thursday (6th) the Chamber of Deputies passed a Tax Reform that unifies five taxes on consumption, in yet another attempt to bury the system created in the 1960s and which today fuels judicial conflicts and burdens companies that operate in Brazil. The foundation text of the PEC (proposed amendment to the Constitution) was approved in the first round by 382 deputies more than the 308 votes needed to approve a constitutional amendment. There were 118 votes against and 3 abstentions. Shortly before 2 am, the proposal was approved in the second round. In the last voting session, there were 375 votes in favor, 113 against, and three abstentions. Now, the PEC goes on to the Federal Senate. Tax Reform has been under discussion in Congress for over 30 years. The first time that an attempt was made to unite consumption taxes in an IVA (Value Added Tax) was in the drafting of the 1988 Constitution. It was also the first in a succession of failed attempts to change the system. Translated by Cassy Dias