Chamber approves Paulo Gustavo Law on cultural incentives; text back to senate

The Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies approved, this Thursday (24), a draft Complementary Law, authored by the Senate, which directs R$ 3.86 billion from the financial surplus of the National Culture Fund (FNC) to states and municipalities to promotion of cultural activities and products due to the economic and social effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Due to changes, the matter has to be analyzed by the Federal Senate, which is the author of the proposal.

The transfer of funds can be made until December 31, 2022, but if there is any impediment due to being an election year, the deadline will be automatically extended for the same period in which it was not possible to use the money.

The proposal will provide support to cultural producers with resources from the Union to states and municipalities. The resources are all from funds financed by the cultural sector itself and which are currently restricted by the government.

Of the amount provided for in the new law, BRL 2,797 billion will be allocated exclusively “in the form of non-refundable resources for audiovisual”, divided into more than BRL 2.3 billion in support of audiovisual productions; R$ 224.7 million for training, education and qualification in the audiovisual sector.

Another R$ 1.065 billion should be allocated to other areas of the cultural and arts field, being divided into 50% for states and the other 50% for municipalities. The amount includes the counterpart of the federated entities. In addition, the PLP unlocks another R$ 342 million from the FNC’s 2021 budget, to be used by the Culture Secretariat of the Ministry of Tourism.

The rapporteur, deputy José Guimarães (PT/CE), also proposed support for film clubs and festivals, preferably through digital media, and also the maintenance of works, collections and an observatory specialized in audiovisual research, R$ 167, 8 million in support of micro and small companies in the sector, independent video-on-demand services and the work catalog are composed of at least 70% of national productions.

The project also allows federated entities to exclude the funds received from the primary result target, changing the Fiscal Responsibility Law (Complementary Law 101/00).

The text is identified as Lei Paulo Gustavo, a tribute to the actor, comedian, director, screenwriter and presenter from Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Gustavo Amaral Monteiro de Barros, who died on May 4 of this year, aged 42, at the Copa Star hospital, in Copacabana. , where he had been hospitalized since March 13 with Covid-19.