Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
With the Resumption of the Debate on Taxing Big Techs, Companies Like Meta and Apple May Face New Tax Regulations in Brazil
The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will resume, this year, the drafting of a bill to tax large technology companies, the famous big techs. The proposal primarily targets Meta, Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and Netflix, companies that concentrate most of the internet traffic.
According to the government, the revenue will be allocated to subsidize access to the internet for underserved populations.
The Minister of Communications, Juscelino Filho, announced the initiative during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. “We see the size of our market and how much these companies earn in Brazil. It is only fair that they contribute in some way,” the minister declared.
-
Havan, the retailer from Santa Catarina owned by Luciano Hang, will offer a contract of R$ 40,000 to whoever produces the best video in tribute to the company’s 40th anniversary, in a national influencer contest open to anyone with a profile on Instagram or TikTok.
-
After criticizing millions who receive Bolsa Família, Luciano Hang is considering opening stores in Paraguay while predicting a ‘collapse’ in Brazil with the end of the 6×1 work schedule and the conviction that ‘only a disaster’ would save the country; the owner of Havan talks about an explosion in inflation, a cost increase of up to 20%, and risks for thousands of Brazilian companies.
-
Giant Serie A club of the Brasileirão undergoes mass layoffs, putting up to 90 people out on the street and promoting a “silent reorganization” after the arrival of the SAF, affecting strategic sectors and causing a strong atmosphere of tension behind the scenes of Brazilian football.
-
China found a loophole and is entering Europe through the back door by setting up an army of factories for batteries, tires, and auto parts on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar, in Morocco, which bypass the tariffs of up to 45% that Brussels established precisely to block Chinese electric cars.
The idea is not new. Initially, the proposal was supposed to be sent to Congress last year. However, it was postponed due to “lack of space in the agenda,” according to Juscelino. Now, the issue has been resumed and will be treated as a priority by the government, as guaranteed by the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad.
It Will Be a Very Complex Issue
The minister admitted that the discussion will be complex, especially given the difficulties faced by the project that sought to regulate big techs and moderate content on social media. This topic has generated intense political clashes.
“It is not an easy or simple debate, considering the environment currently imposed within the National Congress,” stated Juscelino. However, he said he is in contact with parliamentarians and representatives of the companies themselves to build a more adjusted text.
The minister also stated that the political climate in Parliament is more favorable this year. According to him, the presidencies of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are aligned with the government. “We will be able to advance well this year,” he assessed.
Progress of the Project
If the project is sent to Congress, its progress is expected to occur amid a turbulent political context.
The majority of large American technology companies have close ties with the U.S. government led by Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the Minister of the Supreme Court (STF), Alexandre de Moraes, is facing a dispute with platforms like X, owned by Elon Musk, and Rumble, used by right-wing sectors for content dissemination.
In recent months, Moraes has ordered the removal of content and blocked accounts on these platforms, which has generated a reaction from the United States. In response, companies like Rumble and Trump Media have filed a lawsuit against Moraes, accusing him of violating American sovereignty.
Juscelino Filho acknowledged that these tensions affect the progress of the project to tax big techs but downplayed the impacts.
Another obstacle may be the stance of the United States government, which has already signaled possible retaliations against countries that adopt measures to tax American technology companies. However, Juscelino argued that Congress itself has been discussing the creation of sector-specific funds for the industry.
-
1 person reacted to this.