FEDERASUL, the Gaucho Retail Federation (FAGV) and the Retail Federation of RS have joined to request the governor of the state, Eduardo Leite, the veto to Article 3 of Bill 378/2019, approved on Tuesday, 25, by the Legislative Assembly of Rio Grande do Sul.
This article imposes the obligation to record all telephone calls made to collect debts, with the need for storage and availability of recordings to the consumer upon request.
Despite the need to protect the consumer against abusive practices, the requirement to record all telephone charges creates a significant obstacle for small and medium-sized business owners.
According to the entities, this measure represents a new bureaucratic and financial barrier, especially at a critical time when many small businesses are recovering from losses caused by weather events and still face high rates of default.
The main argument of business entities is that the implementation of the measure will require substantial investments in infrastructure for recording, storing and making available connections, which can make the operation of many micro and small companies, which, most of the time, carry out the charges directly and without sufficient resources to bear such costs.
In addition, the entities highlight that federal legislation already provides for the mandatory recording of calls in regulated sectors, such as telecommunications, banks and consumer services.This means that the imposition of a similar rule for all companies, without taking into account the size and characteristics of each business, can be excessive and disproportionate.
The request for veto to Article 3 of Bill 378/2019 aims to preserve the economic viability of micro and small gaucho companies, which continue to play an essential role in generating jobs and income, especially in times of recovery after successive climatic events.
