FGTS: avaliação das propostas de reforma e extinção

The analysis of FGTS performance and actuarial position does not recommend the suppression or reduction of its enterprise payroll tax. In addition of running out of an important source of mandatory savings, able to add a 0,9% of GDP contribution to finance housing and infrastructure next years, such measures would imply a hard fiscal cost for several years, in order to finance the withdrawal of individual accounts, due to the different maturities of liabilities and assets. Besides, unless the society would accept a reduction of workers social protection to levels strongly below of international standards, it would cause another fiscal pressure, to increase the unemployment insurance program and another demands to support the dismissed workers. Finally, the allegated increase on formal employment is only potential, and could be far less than the employment decrease caused by the reduction of FGTS supported investment programs. The conclusion is that it´s better to maintain the FGTS in its present shape and to improve its activity, seeking a more efficient resource allocation, through better credit policies and controls on contribution collection, beside strong measures in view to a sharp reduction on evasion and swindle.