CNI will present priority projects for the industrial sector to the National Congress tomorrow.

From the CNI Agency - The regulation of tax reform and the approval of legislative proposals related to the neo-industrialization effort are among the priorities of the industrial sector for this year in the National Congress. The so-called Minimum Agenda of Industry, a document that lists the proposals with the greatest impact on the economic and social development of the country, includes 17 themes this year. They are part of the Legislative Agenda 2024, a set of proposals that the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) will deliver to the National Congress on Tuesday (19), in a solemn session. 

In this 29th edition, the Industry Legislative Agenda brings together 134 draft laws of interest to the industrial sector that are being processed in both legislative houses (Chamber of Deputies and Federal Senate). These are proposals with great potential to attract investments, improve the competitiveness of the Brazilian economy, and create jobs and income. 

“The Legislative Agenda is one of the main contributions that the industrial sector, led by the CNI, has made for 29 years so that we can build a more socially just and economically viable Brazil. It is the main instrument of dialogue that we maintain with parliamentarians, the federal government, and civil society. Our objective, in defining this list of priorities, is to contribute to the voting and approval of proposals with a positive impact on the business environment,” emphasizes the president of the CNI, Ricardo Alban. 

Stimulating economic growth 

In the economic area, one of the priorities is consolidating the achievements of the Tax Reform through the regulation of Constitutional Amendment No. 132. This topic is not included in the Minimum Agenda because the Executive Branch has not yet presented regulatory proposals to the National Congress, but it should receive increased attention from parliamentarians this legislative year. 

Taxation of profits and dividends, accelerated depreciation for machinery and equipment, and payroll tax relief complete the list of highlighted topics in the Minimum Agenda on the tax system and neo-industrialization. 

Financing, essential to the development of industrial policy, is another key item in the industry's priority proposals, with two projects related to the topic listed in the Minimum Agenda – the establishment of the Brazilian Export Credit System and the Development Credit Note. 

These are proposals that stimulate the internationalization and competitiveness of Brazilian goods and services and boost long-term investments in areas such as infrastructure, industry, innovation, energy transition, in addition to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). 

Energy transition and sustainability are a window of opportunity. Among the 17 topics on the Minimum Agenda, one of the most urgent is the regulation of the carbon market (Bill 182 of 2024). The proposal, which establishes a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading System based on a regulated market using the "cap and trade" model (in which the State defines the maximum emission limit per regulated source and grants permits), is an important and inevitable step to accelerate the energy transition. 

Together with the creation of the legal framework for low-carbon hydrogen and the Energy Transition Acceleration Program (Paten), these projects contribute to leveraging the investments necessary for decarbonization and the international integration of the Brazilian economy.

Completing the so-called Green Agenda are the proposals that create the National Circular Economy Policy and the legal framework for environmental licensing, two fundamental themes in the environmental field to promote sustainable development. 

“We have a great window of opportunity before us and we need to seize it. The government has given great importance to neo-industrialization and this should be used to make up for lost time. The projects that make up the Minimum Agenda of the Legislative Agenda seek to take advantage of this window in areas such as energy transition, sustainability and innovation, to increase productivity and competitiveness, valuing our production chains,” highlights President Alban. 

Infrastructure and innovation 

One of the highlights in the area of ​​infrastructure is the modernization of the electricity sector, discussed through Bill 414 of 2021. Electricity is one of the main inputs for Brazilian industry, which is why its availability and cost are crucial for the competitiveness of national products. 

The proposal under consideration is based on the premise of balance, seeking to promote the sustainability and competitiveness of energy without penalizing consumers with the creation of new sector charges. 

In the area of ​​innovation, incentives for modernization and increased investment in the automotive sector, through the Green Mobility and Innovation Program (Mover), and the regulation of artificial intelligence are two important topics on the legislative agenda for this year. The Minimum Agenda is completed by proposals dealing with entrepreneurship, education, and labor relations. 

The development of the Agenda involved 158 entities from the sector. 

To build the 2024 Legislative Agenda, the CNI (National Confederation of Industry) relied on the participation of 158 entities from the industrial sector, including industry federations, sectoral associations, and national unions. After selecting the most relevant proposals for the sector from the total number of projects presented in Congress – in 2023 there were more than eight thousand – the topics were debated at the RedIndústria Seminar, promoted by the CNI in early February. 

During the two-day event, 733 proposals were analyzed, resulting in a shortlist of 134 proposals. The seminar was attended by 465 representatives from 125 industrial sector entities across the country. 

“The Legislative Agenda brings together a very significant participation of representatives from sectoral entities, associations, unions, industrial companies, and industry federations around priorities that are important for the industrial sector, as well as for the country. Industry represents 25,5% of the national GDP, collects 37,9% of federal taxes, and is responsible for 21,2% of formal jobs. The magnitude of this sector and its impact on the economy, the promotion of research and innovation, and social development are indisputable. The industry agenda brings together the main measures to boost our development,” highlights Roberto Muniz, Director of Institutional Relations at CNI.