Anatel gives 15 days for telecoms to pass on ICMS reduction to consumers

Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency) ordered telecommunications service providers to pass on to customers the reduction in ICMS rates, according to a statement from the municipality this Wednesday (21).

The determination follows Complementary Law No. 194 enacted in June this year, which established a ceiling for ICMS rates on the fuel, gas, energy, communications and public transport sectors.

In the order on the decision, the regulatory agency cited information that telecommunications companies had not yet passed on the changes to consumers.

According to Anatel, measures to reduce the tax must be adopted within a period of up to 15 days, with retroactive effect to the date of publication of the Complementary Law; and non-compliance may result in a fine of up to R$50 million.

The regulatory agency stated that the determination does not apply to telecommunications service providers covered by a tax regime that does not imply a reduction in the ICMS rate, such as Simples.