THE FEDERASUL, the Gaúcha Federation of Retail (FAGV) and the Retail Federation of RS joined forces to request the governor of the State, Eduardo Leite, o veto ao Artigo 3º do Projeto de Lei nº 378/2019, approved on Tuesday, 25, by the Legislative Assembly of Rio Grande do Sul
The mentioned article imposes the obligation to record all phone calls made for debt collection, with the need for storage and availability of recordings to the consumer upon request
Although the need to protect the consumer against abusive practices is recognized, the requirement to record all phone calls creates a significant obstacle for small and medium-sized business owners in Rio Grande do Sul
According to the entities, this measure represents a new bureaucratic and financial barrier, especially at a critical moment when many small businesses are recovering from losses caused by climate events and still facing high rates of default
The main argument of business entities is that the implementation of the measure will require substantial investments in recording infrastructure, storage and availability of connections, what can make the operation of many micro and small businesses unfeasible, what, most of the time, they carry out the charges directly and without sufficient resources to cover such costs
Furthermore, the entities highlight that federal legislation already provides for the mandatory recording of calls in regulated sectors, like telecommunications, banks and consumer service providers. This means that the imposition of a similar rule for all companies, without taking into account the size and characteristics of each business, it can be excessive and disproportionate
O pedido de veto ao Artigo 3º do Projeto de Lei nº 378/2019 visa preservar a viabilidade econômica das micro e pequenas empresas gaúchas, that continue to play an essential role in generating jobs and income, especially in times of recovery after successive climatic events
