Tax
State Law No. 7,988/18 - RJ, published on June 15, revoked Article 75-A of Law No. 2,657/96 (the ICMS Law) in order to establish new rules regarding the procedures that the tax auditor of the Rio de Janeiro state revenue office must observe in order to disregard legal acts or transactions carried out for the purpose of concealing the occurrence of a taxable event or the nature of the elements giving rise to a tax obligation.
Normative Instruction No. 1,765/17, published on December 4 of last year, conditioned the receipt of offsetting statements for IPI credits, contribution to PIS, Cofins, and negative IRPJ or CSLL balances on prior confirmation of transmission of tax documents in which the right to a credit is demonstrated.
Investment funds have had a prominent place in the Brazilian financial market because they enable the gathering and consolidation of assets from different investors into a single investment channel.
Companies were surprised last September with the enactment of ICMS Convention 106, which aims to regulate the procedures for collection of ICMS applied to transactions with digital goods and merchandise, traded through electronic data transfer, and grants exemption for withdrawals intended for final consumers.
The 2nd Panel of the Superior Court of Justice (“STJ”) granted a taxpayer’s appeal to recognize that the ICMS cannot be included in the calculation basis of the Social Security Contribution on Gross Revenue (CPRB). The decision was issued in the judgment on Special Appeal No. 1.732.000/SP, on May 3.
Abuses by the State and especially by the tax authorities to impose taxes without proper legal support are not uncommon. This routine fact, in addition to the excessive tax burden, the enormity of instrumental duties, and the extremely high interest rates on arrears and fines, creates a very difficult environment for Brazil's economic development.
The Plenary Session of the Administrative Council of Tax Appeals met on Monday, September 3, to review 32 proposals for new precedents and to update and cancel certain precedents in force.
Brazil has for years been witnessing an intense debate regarding the constitutional jurisdiction to tax the most varied of legal deals involving digital assets, more precisely software, whether it is the ICMS, ISS, or neither of the two.
On March 15th, 2017, the Federal Supreme Court (STF) judged Extraordinary Appeal No. 574.706/PR (with recognized general repercussion), in which it was established that the ICMS is not included in the tax base for contributions to PIS and Cofins.
The tax amnesty enacted by the Rio de Janeiro State was just regulated through Decree 46.453/2018, published on October 11, Resolution Sefaz 333/2018 and Resolution PGE 4280/2018, both published on October 22. The deadline for enrollment into the amnesty program is of 30 days from November 1, 2018.
The 1st Panel of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), in the judgment on Special Appeal No. 1.477.320, recognized the right to PIS and Cofins credits in relation to transportation in transactions to purchase vehicles from the manufacturer by the dealer with the purpose of later resale to the final consumer.
The Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro has enacted a new special program for the payment of tax debts and fines from the State Accounting Court, through Complementary Law 182/2018 (LC 182/2018), published last Friday (September 21). Justified by the need to pay the 13th salaries of the Executive's officers, the measure came as an exception to Complementary Law 175/2016, which prohibited the grant of amnesty or remission of tax debts by the State of Rio de Janeiro for 10 years.