Pre-salt royalties: the Union's special share falls to 40%.
Senator Vital do Rôme, rapporteur for the royalties distribution bill, reduced the Union's share from 46% to 40%; this measure could resolve the impasse between producers and non-producers.
Rio247_Agência Brasil/Priscilla Mazenotti and Marcos Chagas - The rapporteur of the bill dealing with the distribution of pre-salt royalties, Senator Vital do Rêgo (PMDB-PB), further reduced the special participation to which the Union is entitled, from 46% to 40%. Today, this percentage is 50%, and the government had already agreed to reduce it by 4 percentage points.
"There was an adjustment in the Union's values. The National Congress agrees with this adjustment," said Vital do Rêgo, after a meeting with the parliamentarians who are part of the special commission created to define the text of the bill.
Senator Ricardo Ferraço (PMDB-ES), representing the oil-producing states, said that the problem "will be solved" if the government accepts the proposal to reduce the government's special participation percentage to 40%. According to him, this measure allows the accounts to be balanced to reach the R$ 8,5 billion claimed by the non-producing states.
On Monday, Vital do Rego is expected to receive the final suggestions for the project before the final presentation of the text. The senator said he managed to distribute the corresponding percentages to the producing and non-producing states and to the Union. The problem now, he noted, is regarding the evolution of revenue.
“There will be R$12 billion for producing states and municipalities, R$8,5 billion for non-producing states and municipalities, and R$8 billion for the federal government,” said Vital do Rego. “The evolution of revenue is what is causing the main source of discord.”
The report will include royalties and special participation fees related to areas not yet tendered and areas already tendered. This point is causing disagreement among parliamentarians from oil-producing states. "We refuse to discuss what has already been tendered. Next week we will present a proposal in this regard," said Congressman Alessandro Molon (PT-RJ).
The bill's vote is initially scheduled for Wednesday (19) in the Senate. If approved, the text will go to the Chamber.
The governor of Rio, Sergio Cabral, is fighting to postpone a public event in defense of Rio scheduled for October 17th, but faces resistance from the Rio delegation. An alliance between deputies Garotinho (PR), Eduardo Cunha (PMDB), Chico Alencar (PSOL), and Alfredo Sirkis (PV) is in favor of the event precisely at a time when Brasília is beginning to discuss the division between states and municipalities.
President Dilma avoided addressing the issue during the government coordination meeting that took place this Tuesday (11), in Brasília. In the Senate, the discussion is progressing and the idea is to include an article in the project that would require the division into 40% for education; 30% for Health, Security, Poverty Eradication, Culture, Sport, Environment and Science & Technology; and 30% for development works. The rapporteur of the proposal in the Senate, Vital do Rego (PMDB-PB), wants to avoid wasting oil revenue.