Temer’s advisers propose actions to stimulate growth

During its 46th floor meeting, the Economic and Social Development Council (CDES) proposed to the president a series of recommendations aimed at stimulating the development of the country.

Recommendations encompass business, agribusiness, basic education, cutting red tape, modernizing the state, as well as boosting competitiveness and productivity.

During the opening of the meeting, President Michel Temer said the government’s aim is growth coupled with efforts to fight unemployment. “With each new meeting, we’ll assess what we achieved in previous ones,” Temer added.

In order to improve the business environment, one of the proposals includes the simplification of taxes. Among the measures brought forward, for instance, is the immediate creation of a federal tax on aggregate value (IVA in the original acronym)—the combination of all taxes and contributions on production and consumption, without raising the tax load.

Also recommended is the creation of a program—with fixed goals and deadlines and the participation of society—aimed at reducing the country’s legal insecurity. Among the initiative’s purposes would be the non-retroactivity of norms and government actions on contracts signed regarding tax-related and regulatory matters.

Planned for basic education are the implementation of a countrywide policy on the initial and ongoing training for teachers and managers as well as the internet broadband connections in schools.

Agribusiness

With regards to agribusiness, the council members attach great importance to the measures under the Plano Safra, with an emphasis on enhancing rural insurance, strengthening technical support for the diffusion of sustainable technology, and land regulation.

Also called for is greater access to markets through new trade deals, the promotion of sustainability in Brazil’s agricultural and forest production.

As for productivity and competitiveness, proposals entail stimulating science, technology and innovation, the development of infrastructure in logistics, telecommunications, and energy, and the modernization of labor laws.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira