A obtenção e o emprego de informações pela administração tributária em face das normas de sigilo

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2010

RESUMO

The scope of this study is to look into tax-related information from the moment it is seized to the moment it is used as evidence of fines and taxes levied. This study is justified due to the vulnerableness of the individuals fundamental right to privacy. The right to privacy, especially in terms of protection of financial and tax-related data, is protected by confidentiality provisions violated by amendments to the National Tax Code resulting from Supplementary Laws 104 and 105, both from January 10, 2001. Firstly, we will examine the Brazilian Revenue Service and the myriad of tools it has available to inspect the lives and activities of individuals and legal entities, from the right of scrutinizing accounting books, merchandise, files, and documents, to the right of imposing the duty to provide information on the taxpayer to financial institutions and the like. There is an undeniable tension between the forms of information gathering and the protection of confidential data. Among the kinds of confidentiality related to our topic, financial data confidentiality stands out. According to prevailing case law and scholarly opinions, financial data confidentiality can be moderated as a result of a court order. However, contrariwise, Supplementary Law 105/01 has authorized data to be directly turned over to the Revenue Service. This is a clear non-conformity with the current Brazilian constitutional system. Provided constitutional provisions are taken into account, tax-related information are undeniably subject to being transferred to the tax authorities, which, in turn, have the duty of keeping them from third parties due to the confidentiality clause. This second kind of data confidentiality protection ensures the same right to privacy by preventing said information from being disclosed to third parties. This provision was made more elastic by Supplementary Law 104/01. Likewise and for the same reasons as financial confidentiality, only a court order can break through the confidential nature of tax-related information. Tax-related data, provided they are lawfully obtained, can be employed by the tax authorities in order to produce evidence of taxes and fines levied, and issue deficiency notices. The evidence submitted by the Revenue Service shall be admitted as long as it respects the applicable constitutional and legal provisions, especially provisions related to individual rights and freedoms. We understand, differently from the current and prevailing literature, which seems to passively accept the full disclosure of tax-related information on taxpayers and third parties based on the recent Supplementary Laws , that although tax inspection fulfills the administrations revenue needs, its limits are drawn by constitutional provisions, which no other kind of legislation has the power to disregard

ASSUNTO(S)

instrumental rights financial data confidentiality unlawfully obtained evidence direito fiscalizacao tributaria -- brasil deveres instrumentais sigilo fiscal -- brasil sigilo financeiro brazilian revenue service direito a privacidade -- brasil privacidade provas ilícitas administracao tributaria -- brasil privacy tax confidentiality tax inspection

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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