On 21 May 2025, an event organised by SWISSCAM, Swiss Business Hub and the Consulate General of Switzerland took place at the Consular Residence of Switzerland in São Paulo, featuring a presentation by Philip Schneider, Partner at Schneider Pugliese, and a panel composed of Marcello Veiga, Tax Director at Zurich Brazil, as moderator, and Fernanda Tezari, Tax Planning Manager at Novartis, and Flavinia Alvarenga Silva, Head of Accounting, Tax and Treasury at Atlas Schindler, as panellists.
Hans Aebi, Director of the Swiss Business Hub, opened the event by welcoming everyone to the Consular Residence and gave the floor to Philip Schneider, who raised relevant issues regarding the approved text of the tax reform and the next steps. Philip presented the scenario, including a historical overview, as well as the stages of the process. He also addressed how the transition period to the new system will work, from 2026 to 2033. He highlighted some points of impact such as the broad VAT base, full non-cumulativeness, the return of accumulated credits, the destination principle, among others. He clarified the issue of tax benefits and the reduced rates provided for in Complementary Law No. 214. Regarding the challenges of the reform, he cited compliance costs, which will increase during and after the transition; investments in new systems and IT infrastructure; lack of detailed regulation; and management of the federal transition and tax rates.
Next, Marcello Veiga from Zurich opened the panel by inviting experts from Novartis and Atlas Schindler to share their experiences in light of the changes envisaged by the reform. Fernanda Tezari explained that at Novartis, with the support of a consultancy firm, they are trying to anticipate the changes by running simulations, despite the lack of information from the government, considering the time constraints. There is an effort to engage the company as a whole, in addition to the concern to ensure that customers are prepared to receive invoices in the new standards, as well as that suppliers are ready to sell according to the new rules.
Flavinia Alvarenga Silva explained that at Atlas Schindler, involvement has been not only with senior management, but with various areas of the company. Flavinia notes that the tax area has gained more prominence, which has contributed to the development of a joint action plan. Among the challenges, she highlights long-term contracts, considering that the time between the planning of a project and its operation can be long, and the adaptation of integrated systems, which run the risk of not receiving all updates in a timely manner.
In addition to the enriching exchange between the panel members, the guests also interacted with questions, comments and testimonials, broadening the discussion that promises to continue for a long time to come.
