(O Popular – Goiânia, date missing) 

It’s undeniable that in recent months we’ve made remarkable progress towards reducing red tape in a series of administrative procedures, which will boost international business and directly benefit investors and the productive sector dependent on foreign trade. The expected result is clear: sustainable progress. The fact is that rock bottom always generates survival impulses. 

It’s just that, with some measures, the government seems to be getting closer to the fast-paced reality of the business world. In the last six months, for example, after 50 years of waiting for approval, the Apostille Convention came into force, which abolishes the requirement to legalise foreign public acts.

This is a certificate used at international level that authenticates the origin of a public document and dispenses with the “legalisation” of certain documents originating from states party to the Convention. This will greatly reduce the validation of documents for public tenders and the participation of Brazilian companies abroad, as well as reducing the cost and time involved in representing foreign investors in Brazil. A real deception that facilitates and improves international trade relations. 

Finally, a package of 47 anti-bureaucracy measures was announced by the federal government at the end of 2016 and can also be considered a victory. With the implementation of these measures, which are expected to come into force later this year, industry, especially that which depends on exports and imports, will see the acceleration of many of the procedures that are essential to its business. 

Certificates of origin, for example, which allow the Brazilian products described therein to obtain differentiated import rates in markets with which Brazil has international agreements in force, will now be issued digitally and no longer on paper, reducing the process to around 30 minutes, whereas before it could take up to three days. Among other things, procedures at Inmetro and processes at the INPI for registering trademarks and patents will also be shortened due to standardisation. 

Intelligent public management has a direct impact on reducing bureaucracy and on the country’s competitiveness. There’s a long way to go, but we should recognise the first steps. –