Lula sanctions program believes exports to dishonor and expand small businesses
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sanctioned, on Monday, 28, the complementary bill No. 167/2024, which creates the CREDA EXPORT program. The president also signed a decree of regulation of this program whose objective is to expand the export base of micro and small companies (MPES) through the return of federal taxes paid along the production chain of industrial goods intended for export.
The standard establishes that, from August 1 (also the date expected to take effect the 50% rate for Brazilian imported Brazilian products), these companies may receive the equivalent of 3% of their external sales revenues, through compensation with federal taxes or direct reimbursement. “It is another important impetus to increase competitiveness and expand the base of Brazilian exporting companies,” said Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who also runs the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC).
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In addition to Senator Nelsinho Trad (PSD-MS), who leads the mission, the delegation is formed by six other senators, representatives of Itamaraty, Ministers of the Embassy and former WTO general director, ambassador Roberto Azevêdo
The measure anticipates effects of tax reform, contributes to the reduction of export costs and expands the competitiveness of MSEs in the international market. In 2024, this segment consisted of 11.5 thousand companies, representing 40% of the total Brazilian exporters, with an external sales volume of US $ 2.6 billion.
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“Believes export aims to correct distortions of the current tax system that penalize small exporters,” said Alckmin. “With the return of tax waste, these companies – which export products such as furniture, shoes and clothing – gain breath to compete on equal terms in the global market.”
For micro and small exporting companies, including those opting for Simples Nacional, can effectively access the benefits of export believers, a presidential decree will be published regulating the program.
The measure is valid until 2027, when the new Social Contribution on Goods and Services (CBS), provided for in the tax reform. With the change, will be eliminated the cumulative that today makes Brazilian exports more expensive.
Historically, companies opting for Simples Nacional could not recover taxes paid in previous stages of the production chain. With the new law, about 50% of exporting MPES now have access to this right, correcting a distortion that directly impacted their competitiveness.
Believes export is a joint initiative of the Ministries of Finance, MDIC and Entrepreneurship, Microenterprise and Small Business (Memp).
How to ask for the benefit
To request the benefit, exporting MPES must access the IRS system and especially observe the rules provided for in Articles 57 and 58 of Normative Instruction No. 2,055 of December 6, 2021.
The new legislation also proposes the improvement of special customs regimes, such as Drawback Suspension and Recof. These regimes allow companies to import or get inputs in the domestic market with suspension of taxes, provided that the inputs are used in the production of goods for export.
Innovations include changes in service drawback, which expand the existing benefits of the Drawback Suspension regime to include essential export services such as transportation, insurance, storage and customs dispatch. The measure enables the suspension of PIS/Pasep and Cofins about these services and thus promises to reduce operating costs for companies.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), services account for approximately 40% of the value added to Brazilian manufactured exports. By 2024, the Drawback Suspension regime was used by 1,900 companies, responsible for about US $ 69 billion in exports, representing approximately 20% of the country’s external sales.
For Drawback Suspension, the novelty can already be immediately applied by including information about the imported or acquired services in Brazil in the concession acts issued by the MDIC Department of Foreign Trade (Secex). In the case of Recof, the expansion to services will occur from 2026, as ruled by the IRS.
