Regulamentação do lobby: transparência é a chave, aponta debate.

Questão polêmica

Contrastando com a experiência do Reino Unido e de outros países com tradição democrática mais longa, o Brasil não tem o lobby regulamentado, embora o assunto seja objeto de várias proposições apresentadas na Câmara e no Senado nos últimos anos. A mais recente delas é a Proposta de Emenda à Constituição (PEC) 47/2016, de autoria do senador Romero Jucá (PMDB-RR), que sugere mudanças substanciais para tratar legalmente a questão.

Lorde Dave Watts observou que a discussão sobre o lobby é sempre polêmica. Ele apontou como uma demonstração disso a opinião de que, a despeito dos avanços ocorridos, mesmo a legislação em vigor na Grã-Bretanha merece aprimoramento. Esse é um ponto de vista que ele compartilha com os outros dois parlamentares presentes no seminário — Laurence Robertson e Graham Brady, ambos representantes do Partido Conservador na Câmara dos Comuns.

— Um dos problemas é que os servidores públicos e as organizações não governamentais, e temos lá muitas ONGs poderosas, não estão sujeitos à legislação — afirmou Laurence Robertson.

Participação dos cidadãos 

Em outro painel do seminário, debatedores brasileiros analisaram maneiras de promover a participação dos cidadãos no processo legislativo, assim como de aumentar a eficácia das normas legais aprovadas pelo Parlamento do país.

Para o consultor legislativo do Senado Arlindo Fernandes de Oliveira, mecanismos de intervenção popular podem dar legitimidade ao sistema democrático numa conjuntura em que, tanto no Brasil quanto no mundo, há “uma desconfiança em relação à política, que é uma desconfiança em relação à democracia representativa”.

Tais mecanismos incluem o plebiscito, o referendo e as leis de iniciativa popular, todos previstos na Constituição, e ferramentas regimentais bastante usadas pela Câmara e pelo Senado. Entre elas, as audiências públicas para debate de propostas legislativas, às quais qualquer cidadão pode ter acesso e que estão abertas aos interessados para apresentação de perguntas (por telefone ou pela internet).

Na opinião de Arlindo Oliveira, são sinais de preconceito contra a democracia e a globalização a vitória de Donald Trump, a decisão do eleitorado britânico de deixar a União Europeia e a recente derrota da proposta de paz na Colômbia.

Qualidade das leis

A consultora do Senado Clarita Costa Maia destacou a necessidade de estabelecer parâmetros objetivos para garantir maior qualidade e eficácia nas leis aprovadas pelo Congresso. A questão tem sido estudada sob a ótica da análise econômica do Direito, "que é algo recente no Brasil, onde a tradição jurídica é mais da Filosofia do Direito", explicou ela.

Clarita Maia mostrou confiança na adoção de critérios técnicos para balizar essa avaliação. Segundo ela, o assunto se encontra ainda na fase de anteprojeto, mas deve “impactar profundamente a nossa cultura legislativa”.

— Com esse projeto que está sendo construído, será necessário, por exemplo, fazer a análise do impacto econômico de todas as propostas legislativas, o que vai nos permitir enfrentar a insegurança legislativa, que hoje aparece em várias pesquisas como o maior obstáculo para a atração de investimentos estrangeiros no país — disse a consultora.

Já o consultor legislativo da Câmara Ricardo Martins questionou a visão de que a reforma do ensino médio, promovida pela Medida Provisória (MP) 746/2016, representaria uma iniciativa legal tomada pelo Poder Executivo de forma autoritária, sem qualquer discussão prévia com a sociedade.

Ele fez um retrospecto sobre os debates a respeito do assunto, que ocorrem na Câmara dos Deputados há quatro anos, e concluiu que essa ideia é falsa. De acordo com Ricardo Martins, a MP hoje contestada por estudantes e por boa parte dos professores mantém no essencial os termos de um projeto de lei acordado com os secretários estaduais de Educação após passar pelo crivo de duas comissões especiais formadas pela Câmara.

*Com informações da Agência Senado

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South American Presidents: who they would like to see at the White House and how they reacted to Trump victory?

A majority of South American Presidents would prefer to see former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, at the White House, while a few believe whoever wins will make not much of a difference for the continent. Nevertheless, be it Hillary or Trump, the Presidents defended respect to US institutions.

In Brazil, President Michel Temer, a Constitutional Professor, was more diplomatic than his own Chancellor, José Serra (who mentioned that a Trump victory would be a "nightmare"), and said he was concerned with the result of Tuesday's presidential election. But Temer argumented that “no US President can do whatever he pleases”, since "in the United States institutions work with an effective system of checks and balances".

Likewise, Argentine President Mauricio Macri said that “the United States is far greater than any name and we expect to continue with the excellent relations between the two countries, whoever wins”. Nevertheless, Macri admitted that if Hillary wins, there “will be a continuity in current affairs”.

But, in Bolivia, Evo Morales said he was indifferent to whoever wins in the US Presidential Election, since “there are no differences between candidates”. Morales claimed that “the US has an only policy which is intervention and meddling in other countries affairs, and whoever wins makes no difference since elected Presidents do not rule, this is done by the big banks and business people”

Michelle Bachelet from Chile has no doubts about her complete support for Hillary Clinton. “We have developed a good friendship” and she is a very capable, intelligent and committed woman", and “we need more women presidents in the world”. However she also apologized for having such a partial opinion. “She's a friend”, Chilean President said.

In Ecuador, Rafael Correa was a bit ambiguous in his interpretation of Tuesday's vote and its impact on Latin-American. "Why shouldn't a Trump presidency be good for the region?", asked Correa. “When did progressive governments reach office in the continent, with Obama or with Bush?...the same could happen with Trump, why not?”. However, Correa admitted a close relation with the former Secretary of State. “I wish Hillary wins”, argued.

Peruvian President, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, leading a conservative government has been the most critical of the Republican candidate. “Mr. Trump wants to build a wall, which is a crime”, said Kuczynski who admitted having told US President Obama in a private phone call that he was concerned “about one of the candidates”.

Venezuela's controversial Nicolas Maduro openly supported Senator Bernie Sanders during the Democrat primary, but following on Hillary's victory he pointed all his heavy guns on Trump calling him “mentally ill”. However, he did not support Hillary, rather the contrary, “we can't expect nothing good from any of the two candidates". "Nor Trump, nor Clinton will arrive with good wishes and interests for Venezuela or Latin America”.

Colombia's Juan Manuel Santos also expressed a negative opinion on the Republican candidate. Admitting he does not know Trump, Santos argues that his announced policies “are not in accordance with what Colombia expects from the US and what Colombia wishes from the rest of the world: free trade and immigration policies which are convincing to all countries”. Santos also recalled that President Clinton launched Plan Colombia, “which has been very useful in achieving what we have achieved” and has been supportive of peace talks with the FARC guerrilla. “As far as I know, Hillary offers more guarantees” concluded the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Finally, Horacio Cartes (Paraguayan President) and Tabaré Vazquez (from Uruguay) have not made public statements on the issue. Who did talk was the former Uruguayan President, José Mujica, who answered to a question about what would he do in a hippotetical Trump victory: “I don't know because so far there is no escape gate to Mars”. 

“I'm not scared about Trump, but about the people who support him" Mujica continued. "The image is so grotesque that one feels certain affinity with Mrs. Clinton, who I must admit is quite conservative”, underlined Mujica.

 Source: Mercopress Agency

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#Video: PEC 241, teto dos gastos púclicos já tramita no Senado

Sob o número 55, a PEC dos gastos públicos tramida junto ao Senado Federal, Senador Renan Calheiros estima sua aprovação em 15 de dezembro. Confira essas e outras informções em destaque junto àquela casa no video a seguir:

*Com informlções do Senado Federal

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The President of Mercosur's Parliament is critical of the current trade negotiations with the European Union

Jorge Taiana, President of Mercosur’s Parliament (Parlasur), said that the European Union’s current trade offer is “unsatisfactory” and made it clear that it shouldn’t be signed in its present form. Taiana complained that the negotiations, which resumed about seven years ago, are taking far too long, but added that in the absence of a “balanced agreement”, nothing should be signed.

The lawmaker said that the EU’s offer of “small tolls on unprocessed products” and its demand that “Mercosur open up its industries and services” would negatively affect “integrated and balanced development”. He also added that he is “not optimistic that there will be progress” as a result of the economic recession that has hit Europe.

In this situation, Taiana indicated that more regional measures and promotion of trade in materials and services between Latin American countries would be more viable. In the case of Argentina, he insisted that the business relationship with Chile “will not change”, regardless of the talks going on with the EU.

German Eurodeputy Bernd Lange (SPD), chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, said he was more optimistic than Taiana and indicated that he is hopeful that these new negotiations will not last as long as those that were needed to finally secure the Canadian trade deal, known as CETA.

Lange insisted that the fact our world is ever-more globalized is a reason to broker agreements that “configure” this phenomenon and which do not just focus on “stronger” economic benefit, but more on “fair trade”.

The German lawmaker said that next March there will be new meetings and highlighted that the Parliament is “a key player” in managing the relationship between the two parties.

Parlasur is comprised of 81 Deputies, 18 from each member state and 9 from candidate member Venezuela. It was established to boost the political autonomy of Mercosur and its first session was held in early 2007, but its initiative is very much limited.

Source: Mercopress Agency

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Brazilian amnesty program for undeclared funds parked overseas collects US$ 15.8 billion

The Brazilian Government collected R$ 50.9 billion, equivalent to US$ 15.8 billion in taxes and fines under an amnesty program offered to individuals and corporations with undeclared but legitimate funds parked overseas, the Finance Ministry said last Tuesday.

By the program’s Monday deadline, 25.114 individuals and firms agreed to pay a 15% income tax and a fine equal to taxes paid, lower than they would have paid without the program, in exchange for immunity from potential prosecution for tax evasion and other charges, the Ministry said.

A total of R$ 169,9 billion in undeclared offshore assets were reported under the amnesty program, the ministry said. Under the program, taxpayers could also avoid paying interests on their overdue taxes.

The extra revenue collected would help the Brazilian Government meet this year’s fiscal target amid a swelling budget gap and debt load.

The Government’s target for this year is to have a primary deficit, which excludes debt payments, of R$ 170,5 billion. As of September, the deficit was R$ 85,5 billion.

Brazil’s Central Bank said Tuesday it counted an inflow from abroad of US$10 billion through the end of October as a result of the amnesty. Some people used money already in Brazil to pay their taxes and fines, resulting in some of the difference between the amount collected by the government and the amount brought home.

Source: Mercopress Agency

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