The measure, announced on the first day of Movelsul by Minister Guido Mantega, will be valid for three months   The president of Sindmóveis, Cátia Scarton, applauded the announcement of a reduction on the tax on manufactured products (IPI) for furniture, reducing to zero the 5% rate levied on the entire industry. According to her, the effect of the three months covered by the measure will be an increase of 15% in sales of the furniture cluster of Bento Gonçalves. The board of directors of Sindmóveis expects the measure to be extended, therefore continuing the incentive to consumption for a longer period.  Interview: Cátia Scarton, president of Sindmóveis What was the sector like before the announcement about the reduction on the IPI for furniture? Were there were signs of stagnation? Yes, the sector had slowed down. This measure was important to boost sales and balance the consumption of all product categories. Home appliances, for example, had already been benefited by the reduction. Thus, we will have a balance in consumption. There is also the issue of seasonality, that is, the first half of the year, when consumers do not buy furniture because they have  other priorities in their budget. This measure will benefit the period when sales go down.   Sindmóveis was one of the organizations that worked for the cut on the IPI. How was the work developed? There were many discussions and negotiations, but the furniture sector could prove to the government that the measure was necessary and that there would be no revenue loss. The tax collection would be reduced, but all the resources end up returning through job creation and increased consumption.   Will the announced measure of cutting the IPI for three months be enough to boost the sector? Undoubtedly, cutting the IPI is positive. Ideally, however, this incentive to consumption should stabilize and become permanent. But we know how difficult this is. So we will continue working so that the government pays careful attention to the sector. Reducing the IPI is just one of the issues regarding the furniture market, especially in Rio Grande do Sul. We have many other demands.   What are the key ones? Sindmóveis continuously works on an extensive list of demands. We can mention two as the major ones – the exemption from the payroll, using the percentage contribution based on the turnover and not on the payroll, in addition to financing  furniture through the My House My Life program. With this, we would have a positive impact throughout the furniture supply chain generating more consumption and more competitiveness.