Martín Zuppi, on the elimination of the internal tax: “prices fell and the collection for the sales surplus grew”

In dialogue with Scopethe Executive deepened about the progress of a tax agenda and the expectations for the short and medium term.

“It is an agenda that is not alone at the meeting or in a title. It is an operational agenda”, Said ZUPPI, referring to the tax reform and other key measures for the sector. In that sense, he explained that “In the short and medium term we can have good signs and good news by the government to still improve volumes.”

He also acknowledged that the National Government has as one of its great objectives “the fiscal surplus”, and highlighted the positive impact of a specific proposal: “we raised a point that was modified, which was the Remove from the first step of the internal taxor the luxury tax, as they call it. ”

Zuppi detailed how they managed to demonstrate with data that “if we removed that step and with the real collection that the government made for that internal tax, We lowered prices because that was direct at a price. The market had lower prices than what the government tries. And the tax collection for the surplus of sale was greater than what it raised and was fulfilled”

He stressed that “when you have the possibility of dialogue with real numbers and you tell him that if you take this tax, people will not only buy cheaper, but the government will raise more and you can demonstrate it reliably and then it happens, That generates a very strong relationship“And he added:” In that sense you work. “

Finally, Zuppi admitted that “There is a lot of expression of desire on my part, but the dialogue is very good to continue growing”. And he confirmed that the agenda is not just discursive: “Go down to a work commission and the week, at two weeks, per month, you see it in numbers. And you see what you can do, what you cannot do. Then they are all estimative numbers, but in general it is not far from reality”

Chinese competition

Regarding concern about possible massive entry of Chinese vehiclesZuppi clarified at conference that “the problem of Chinese cars has nothing to do with the devaluation of the exchange rate.”

He explained that the arrival of Chinese vehicles “the offer is maximized, the offer is extended and is part of an open market, is part of the rules of the game“Anyway, he said that the sector must” be competitive in costs, be efficient, improve the unit productive cost and expand the financing offer so that people choose our products. “

Regarding regional integration, about the future of the automotive agreement with Brazil that expires in 2029the manager pointed out that “at the ADEFA we have an agenda with different points that we are working with the government, unions and concessionaires.” He added that although it is “a slightly distant point”, it is monitored to “Understand where we are going after 2029”. On this subject he said that “it always serves to grab things on time” and that “it is a Game Changerlet the game change. ” He also said that “we will surely address it since the end of the year or next year as a more relevant point on the agenda.”

Regarding institutional relationship, Zuppi highlighted the “very good” communication with the national government and stressed the role of provincial governments, in particular that of Córdoba: “The dialogue with the Government of Córdoba is spectacular. It is one of the provincial governments that most push to sustain production, to increase the Argentine industry.” On the Mayor of Tres de February, Diego Valenzuela (LLA), a town where a Stellantis plant is located, said that the dialogue is “very predisposed, to improve the quality of life and work.”

Finally, with respect to sector competitiveness, Zuppi emphasized that the national automotive industry “is extremely capable to be able to compete productively with any other product in the world,” but stressed the importance of “Have the same game rule to compete with equality”. Finally, he performed a sports metaphor to illustrate the challenge: “If your team has 11 and a round ball, and the front has 15 and an oval ball, it is not the same.”