The law that extends the payment period for Pronampe loans is already in force

The law that extended from four to six years the repayment term for loans of the National Support Program for Micro and Small Businesses (Pronampe) is already in force. The law 14554/2023 was sanctioned by President Lula on April 20th. Pronampe was created in 2020 to offer account credit for small businesses. The loan can be used for investments in micro-enterprises or small businesses (MSE), such as renovating spaces or purchasing equipment, in addition to employee expenses or paying bills. That is, the money must be reversed in improvements for the company.

Chamber approves expansion of loan program for micro and small companies

In addition, the program maintains a monthly interest cap (6% plus Selic) and creates a minimum grace period of 12 months. The extension of the payment period is valid for both new contracts and loans entered into from January 2021, which can be renegotiated by the new rules, provided they follow the conditions established by the federal government.

Economist César Bergo classified the expansion of the law as “fundamental” for companies to remain active. He recalls that MSEs correspond to two thirds of the jobs generated in the country and about 27% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“These companies are very lacking in resources, because the credit system is sometimes very restricted, sometimes with very high interest rates and for working capital, for growth and for investment, these companies generally do not have access to that credit. So, this program is essential for companies to continue operating.”

Pronampe: BRL 108 billion in financing for micro and small companies

Senator Esperidião Amin (PP-SC) said that extending the payment period allows micro and small companies to remain open and is important for two reasons. First, as the parliamentarian recalls, Pronampe loans were emergency loans, granted during the pandemic.

“The second aspect is that this money was practically government money, the government put 38 billion reais in Pronampe, and the banks, due to lack of capillarity and an adequate service network, lent only 40 billion reais, that is, practically money that the government put in. Therefore, another problem that is being illuminated by this action is the need that we have to have more financial agents, trained to dialogue with the micro or with the MEI and very small ends”, he analyzed.

Senator Amin also highlighted the importance of the front created in the National Congress on the subject. “We created the Joint Parliamentary Front for Microcredits and Microfinance so that cooperatives, solidarity guarantee societies, credit guarantee society, in short, the financial agents most qualified to dialogue with the small ones are employed in the search for the democratization of credit in Brazil”, evaluates .

Micro and small companies in Brazil

Data released by the Map of Companies of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, updated every four months, indicate that MSEs correspond to 99% of the 20 million companies existing in the country. According to the survey, they are responsible for 62% of the workforce and for 27% of the Brazilian Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Micro-enterprises are those that have annual revenues of up to R$360,000 or employ up to nine people in commerce and services or 19 people in the industrial sector. Small companies, on the other hand, have annual revenues of up to R$ 4.8 million per year or employ from ten to 49 people in commerce and services or from 20 to 99 people in industry.