Governors discuss keeping ICMS on fuel frozen for another 90 days

The advance of the discussions in Congress on the project that changes the rates of ICMS (Tax on the Circulation of Goods and Services) of fuels, aiming to reduce the prices of products at the pumps, at the expense of lower state revenue, governors began to discuss a new freeze of the tribute for another 90 days.

At the end of January, the local Chief Executives decided to keep the rate fixed for another 60 days – therefore, the term expires at the end of this month of March. According to Governor Wellington Dias (PI), who coordinates the Forum of Governors, the decision on the new freeze should come out by the 20th.

“It will be, again, a contribution from the Brazilian states to guarantee an adequate price for fuels. Considering that, at this moment, we also have the war involving Russia and Ukraine, with a real possibility of an even greater impact on fuel prices, due to the increase in the barrel of oil, it will be a demonstration of the interest and commitment of the states with the Brazilian people”, said the governor.

According to Dias, the governors understand that, today, the best way to reduce the price at pumps is to create an equalization fund formed with sources of oil revenue.

In January, the governors’ movement aimed to contain the advance of the PEC (Proposed Amendment to the Constitution) to reduce the price of fuel, cooking gas and electricity in the country, altering federal and state taxes.

At that time, they released a note stating that the proposal translated “another effort to mitigate the inflationary pressures that so harm consumers, especially with regard to the poorest and most underserved strata of the Brazilian population”.

In the document, the governors also demanded that the Bolsonaro government changes Petrobras’ price policy, talking about “the urgent need to review the international fuel price parity policy, which has led to frequent readjustments, far above inflation and power.” company purchase”.