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The
package includes defining technical criteria for habitual tax
evaders, and closing loopholes that typically prevented their
arrest.
"In Brazil, almost no one has ever been arrested for crimes
against tax order," tax revenue secretary Robinson Barreirinhas
told a press conference on Friday, noting that until now, such
cases resulted in taxpayers simply paying the debt to suspend
punishment.
Under the proposed rules, yet to be approved by lawmakers, there
would no longer be a right to extinguish punishment if the debt
is paid.
Barreirinhas revealed that those with irregular debts exceeding
15 million reais ($3 million) and surpassing their assets will
be considered habitual debtors. If they choose not to regularize
their situation, they will be listed in a registry.
According to the tax revenue service, around 1,000 Brazilian
taxpayers fall into this category, accounting for approximately
100 billion reais ($20 billion) in debt.
The bill introduces several other changes, including
transparency on those benefiting from tax incentives.
The goal is to enable the government to comply with a
constitutional directive that, in 2021, mandated the reduction
of tax benefits from 4.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 2%
over an eight-year period.
"We are not eliminating the tax benefit. We are providing
governance over this benefit. We will see who is benefiting, who
is using it, and, with this, verify if they really have the
right to it," said Barreirinhas.
The bill will also include programs to encourage tax compliance
by companies, offering benefits for self-regularization.
Barreirinhas said the package of measures would need to be in
place for some time to boost government income significantly.
($1 = 4.9481 reais)
(Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Editing by Gabriel Araujo and Kevin
Liffey)
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