The Ministry of Economy already has a proposal for guidelines for the operation of the events sector that is “very complex” given that it involves several areas of activity, the Secretary of State for Tourism told Lusa.
Rita Marques explained that this area includes segments linked to congresses and others and, “taking into account that the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) has not yet defined specific guidelines for the organization of events”, the Ministry of Economy “has been working to clarify and interpret the principles and guidelines applicable to corporate events ”, and this area is practically stopped due to covid-19.
Rita Marques stated that the issue is “meetings, congresses, exhibitions, trade fairs, seminars, a whole range of events that can be organized by public and private entities to employees of the organizing institution or open to the public. We understand that they must gradually start to migrate to a new normality and hence our need to work on these principles and applied guidelines, which is precisely one of the great demands of economic operators ”, he said.
According to the minister, in the Ministry of Economy, there is already “a proposal that is under discussion with the various state departments”.
“We already have an interpretive dispatch proposal for which we are trying to gather as much consensus as possible. It is a complex issue, given the disparity in economic activities that are at stake here, ”he said.
Today, the Decree-Law was published that allows companies in this area to recover VAT on expenses related to the organization of events.
“These companies are entitled to start enjoying a benefit that affects what they incur and is not deductible from the Tax Authority. At the moment, we have a VAT code that establishes that companies can deduct 50% and the other 50% were not deductible and become ”, and they can start, as of Wednesday, to submit these expenses to Turismo de Portugal, through the ePortugal portal, which will then reimburse them.
“The refund request can already be submitted and has to refer to monthly periods. Unfortunately, there were no major events, but if they do exist, VAT is deducted and can be ordered ”, he said.
The diploma clarifies that the request can be made “from the second month following the issue of supporting documents, until the end of the period of one year from the date of issue of those” and, explained the governor, has no effect retroactive.
Rita Marques also guaranteed that the credit line for event organizers, within the scope of the Economic and Social Stabilization Program, is practically completed, with only “budgetary framework” missing.
The Portuguese Association of Technical Services for Events (APSTE) is organizing a protest today, at Terreiro do Paço, in Lisbon, which aims to sensitize the Government to the need for urgent measures for the sector.
The protest will take place between 20:00 and 22:00 and consists of the placement of several facilities composed of hold bags, with the insignia of each company, occupying the perimeter of Praça do Comércio.
Images, videos and phrases that reflect the state of the sector will also be projected on the façades of Terreiro do Paço.
According to a survey carried out by APSTE, in May, 60% of the companies in the sector resorted to the ‘lay-off’ and more than half (56%) do not have the liquidity to pay salaries in the months of August and September.
–
