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This Monday's meeting, the 20th, aims to discuss Petrobras' fuel price policy and the oil export price
As part of the parliamentary offensive against Petrobras, a congressional meeting was scheduled for this Monday (20th) to discuss the proposed taxation of Brazilian oil exports. Given the scenario of rising prices of oil, the potential revenue from the Export Tax (IE) obtained from the sale of oil produced by the state-owned company abroad is increasing. In this sense, the intention is that its collection be used to compensate for the decrease in fuel prices.
The meeting was convened by the mayor, Arthur Lira (Progressistas-AL), and will be attended by party leaders, in order to discuss Petrobras' pricing policy, currently linked to the international market.
According to the magazine Examination, exports reached a value of US$ 30 billion last year, when the average price of a barrel was around US$ 70. Today, on the other hand, the price of Brent oil forecast for the month of August is around of US$ 113. Thus, if the average is considered at US$ 110, exports may reach the amount of almost US$ 50 billion this year.
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Parliamentarians also intend to double Petrobras' Social Contribution on Net Income
As a reaction to the readjustment of diesel and gasoline prices, Lira also communicated that parliamentarians should approve a proposal to double Petrobras' Social Contribution on Net Profit (CSLL), in order to cover the difference in the cost of diesel abroad or supply a voucher for truck drivers, taxi drivers and app drivers, outside the spending cap.
According to the mayor, the proposal is similar to one that already exists in the United States, formulated by President Joe Biden. In the country, oil companies pay 21% in taxes on profits, and there is an intention to double them to 42%.
For the CSLL to take effect, a period of three months is required. An expansion of the Income Tax, in turn, would only begin to be charged next year. Currently, the CSLL rate charged on oil companies is 9%.
Lira said, in an interview with the GloboNews channel, that Congress should change the policy of readjusting the value of fuels, today associated with the price in dollars used in the international market. According to him, Petrobras does not explain how its pricing policy is accounted for, requiring discussion in this regard and making Cade responsible for the existing monopoly in the company.
Danilo Forte is also in favor of charging the Export Tax on oil
Deputy Danilo Forte (União-CE), rapporteur for the PEC referring to biofuels, which is part of the package announced by the government to lower fuel prices, believes that the time is right for charging the Export Tax. For him, the exemption to Petrobras it is useless if the Brazilian people are not benefiting from it.
In addition, Forte is also the rapporteur for Provisional Measure 1118, responsible for restricting, until the end of this year, the use of tax credits arising from social contributions (PIS/Pasep and Cofins) to fuel producers and resellers. Thus, to grant a subsidy, the government must make an exception in the spending ceiling. However, there is already a PEC in the Senate to modify the rule and allow the Union to compensate states that reduce diesel and cooking gas to zero.
The two proposals in question may be used for changes that the leaders decide to propose during today's meeting. Furthermore, another project, PL 1472, authored by Senator Rogério Carvalho (PT-SE), may also be used as part of the political offensive unleashed against Petrobras, after the company has readjusted the price of diesel and gasoline.
This project has already obtained approval from the Senate and has the support of the body's president, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG). It creates price guidelines for gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas, in addition to containing gaps in the text that lead to changes in Petrobras' pricing policy, as desired by the government and the leaders of Centrão.
Experts call the project confusing
In the opinion of specialists, the project is confusing, weakens the policy of freedom of prices and contains gray areas, since it establishes that the internal prices practiced by producers and importers have as reference the average quotations of the international market, the internal costs of production and “as applicable” import costs. They argue that the term “as applicable” could be used anyway, creating future problems for price controls.
The project also foresees the development of a stabilization account, in order to reduce the impact of price volatility. Pacheco intends that this account be filled with dividends paid by Petrobras on the company's profit.
Through his Twitter account, the president of the Senate wrote that, in case the situation of fuel prices is out of control, the government must accept to share the great profits of Petrobras with the population, through a price stabilization account in crisis periods.
The economic area is against the creation of this account and the adoption of subsidies. Members of Petrobras declare that, in order to change the pricing policy, it will be necessary to change the State Law and then the statute. One of the obstacles is also the autonomy of the director of Governance and Compliance of the state-owned company. If he deems the matter under discussion to be in violation of the company's governance and compliance, he has the power to veto it.
