Tax reform was pointed out by most entrepreneurs (56%) as the most important measure for the next government to stimulate job creation, according to a survey by the National Confederation of Industry, carried out in partnership with Instituto FSB Pesquisa.
The current collection model is seen as complex and inefficient. “The country’s complex and costly tax collection system inhibits production in all economic sectors and makes it difficult for Brazilians to generate jobs and income. Tax Reform is essential to accelerate the pace of economic growth and, therefore, should be a priority for the next government”, says the president of the CNI, Robson Braga de Andrade.
In the opinion of 48% of executives, it is necessary to reduce payroll taxes. In addition, 35% of them pointed to the need to strengthen professional training to generate jobs.
The CNI Priority Agenda survey surveyed 1,001 executives from small, medium and large industrial companies from all regions of the country. The interviews, conducted by telephone, were carried out between August 10 and 24, 2022. Each of the interviewees was encouraged to choose two actions. The percentages are the sum total of respondents who cited the measure as the first and second most important.
Measures such as releasing credit for companies to invest and/or expand their productive capacity (29%) and improvements in labor legislation (25%) also appear in the survey as relevant measures for job creation.
In addition to questions related to job creation and other important issues for economic growth, the questionnaire also addresses Health, Education and Safety.
Education as a priority
For one in three respondents, Education should be the president-elect’s top priority for the next four years. It was the topic most cited by executives as the country’s first and second main priority.
Among the possible ways to improve education in the country, most entrepreneurs pointed out that, among the different levels of training, the ones that most need the gaze of the public power are technical education (34%) and basic education (32%). . Then comes literacy, with a total of 18%. The other education levels, such as Secondary Education, Higher Education and Post-Graduation, add up to 14%.
“The research shows that there is a demand from the business sector for greater investment in technical education, which is more aligned with the needs of the job market. Another point is the concern of executives with the quality of education. Faced with an increasingly technological industry, education needs to keep up with the skills required by companies”, explains CNI’s economic analysis manager, Marcelo Azevedo.
Health and safety
The second most cited topic to be the government’s priority as of 2023 was public health (26%) and economic growth appears in third position, having been pointed out by 20% of respondents as the first or second main measure. Then, tax reduction (14%) and job creation (12%).
Regarding the priorities of the next government for the area of Health, for one in four entrepreneurs it should be the improvement of the conditions of hospitals and health posts. Then, respondents elected as urgent actions to better qualify doctors and nurses (19%), hire more doctors and nurses (19%) and the need for more investments in health (19%).
In the area of Security, the priority of the government that takes over in 2023, in the opinion of businessmen, should be to increase the number of police officers on the streets (23%) and equip the police (20%). Increasing police officers’ salaries, preventing people who commit crimes from spending a short time in prison and reformulating the penal code appear as important actions for 15%, 13% and 12% of respondents, respectively.
Brazilian economy
When it comes to the current scenario, almost half (48%) of entrepreneurs assess the situation of the Brazilian economy as excellent or good. Of the total, 35% rated the economy as fair and 17% as bad or very bad.
To improve the Brazilian economy, 43% of businessmen pointed out that the next president should prioritize, in the next two years, reducing taxes. The second priority given to the area was to simplify taxes, having been cited by 28% of respondents as a first or second option.
A relevant percentage of executives also believe that it is necessary to control public spending (24%), fight inflation (23%), generate jobs (23%) and reduce interest rates (17%).
Future: 7 in 10 entrepreneurs believe in an improvement in the economy
Regarding the future of the country, the expectation is positive: seven out of ten entrepreneurs are optimistic or very optimistic. An even higher percentage (77%) is optimistic about the future of the Brazilian industry. Regarding the country’s economy, 69% said it should improve a little or a lot in the next four years. “Approving the Tax Reform, with the adoption of a consumption tax system that is more modern, efficient and aligned with the world standard, is a fundamental step to increase the competitiveness of companies and, thus, accelerate the pace of economic growth, generating more jobs and income for Brazilians”, says the manager of Economic Analysis at CNI, Marcelo Azevedo.
Source: CNN Brasil

Joe Jameson, a technology journalist with over 2 years of experience, writes for top online news websites. Specializing in the field of technology, Joe provides insights into the latest advancements in the industry. Currently, he contributes to covering the world stock market.