Desired by the federal government, a reduction of R$ 0.27 per liter in the ICMS on diesel oil would cost states and municipalities R$ 13.3 billion, according to an estimate by the IFI (Independent Fiscal Institution), a Senate body that assesses the fiscal situation. from the country.
Of this total, R$ 10 billion represents losses for the states and R$ 3.3 billion for the municipalities, which receive part of the ICMS collected, according to a fiscal monitoring report released this Wednesday (16) by the IFI.
The reduction in revenue would be the result of the adoption of a transitional system provided for in the law that changed the collection of ICMS, which determines the calculation of the tax on the average price of the last five years and not on the current price.
According to the law passed in Congress last week, the average must be used until states define a single rate, in reais per liter, for charging ICMS on diesel, with a maximum term until 2023.
State governments, however, are trying to accelerate the debate on the unification of the rate to reduce the loss. Only diesel and biodiesel have a transitional system. The other fuels affected by the new law, gasoline, anhydrous ethanol and cooking gas, remain in the current model until unification.
The change in the ICMS collection model will represent an increase in prices in states that currently have lower rates, such as São Paulo, and a drop in collection in those that currently charge more expensive taxes.
The IFI calculates that the Union will lose R$ 17.6 billion with the PIS/Cofins exemption on fuel, also approved by Congress last week. The measure can reduce the price of diesel by R$ 0.33 per liter.
Thus, in total, the government expects a reduction of R$ 0.60 per liter. After the mega-increase announced by Petrobras last week, the forecast is that the average price of the product will exceed R$ 6.40 at Brazilian gas stations.
This Wednesday, President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) again criticized Petrobras for the increases. “I have my criticisms of Petrobras too. It’s not what I would like, no,” he told supporters in front of Palácio da Alvorada.
“Whatever I can do, I don’t command Petrobras, I have no interference over it, whatever we can do, we do,” he added. The statement was released by a Bolsonarista YouTube page.
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