EN 
PT_BR 
A Chamber of Deputies will vote, this Tuesday (24), the Complementary Bill which establishes a ceiling of up to 17% for charging the ICMS (Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services) on the segments of electricity and fuels.
The Plenary session is scheduled to begin at 1:55 pm. The document provides for a change in the classification of the two sectors for essential goods and services, which prevents the increase in ICMS rates above 17%.
Last week, the President of the House, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), said he would hold a meeting with the leaders of the opposition and the allied base to discuss voting on the proposal.
“This is not a political or ideological debate. It's a country debate. I will call on all Powers to reflect on the emergency reality of today's world, which affects the people and requires institutional actions with a vision of the nation”, published Lira, on Twitter.
In Brazil, the ICMS on the value of electrical energy varies depending on state to state. The average in the country is 26%, with Roraima being the federative unit with the lowest tax rate (17%). A The highest charge occurs in Rio de Janeiro, with a rate of 32%.
That is, if If the 17% ceiling is approved, the measure will bring immediate relief to Brazilians' electricity bills: reduction in the final value of tariffs would be around 10% for consumers, according to calculations by Abradee (Brazilian Association of Electricity Distributors).
Regarding fuels, the maximum rate would also be below the national average for gasoline, which is currently 27%, and 18.7% for ethanol.
The initiative, however, is criticized by state finance secretaries, who predict losses of more than R$ 100 billion with the drop in tax collection from the electricity and fuel sectors.
