Skip to content
Mapa do Segundo Turno
Mapa do Segundo Turno

33/ 58Small businesses

Brazil's MEI was born under Lula. In 2025, 3.8 million were opened

Brazil's Simples Nacional and MEI came from laws signed by Lula[1][2]. His current government brought debt renegotiation, credit and a record number of businesses opened in 2025[3].

Image for stories and link to this page.

6 feed images and a link to this page.

MEIs opened in 2025
3.8M
Billion reais in Pronampe and ProCred 360 credit, 2025
21
Billion reais renegotiated by Desenrola Pequenos Negócios, 2024
7.5
Sources: Sebrae, CNPJ registrations in 2025[3]; Ministry of Entrepreneurship, 2025 report[4]; federal government (Secom), via Agência Brasil[5]. ProCred 360 and Desenrola Pequenos Negócios were established by Law 14,995 of October 10, 2024, signed into law by Lula[6].

Origin

Two laws signed by Lula

Lei Complementar 123, of December 14, 2006, created the Simples Nacional, a simplified tax regime for small firms[1]. Two years later, Lei Complementar 128, of December 19, 2008, created the individual microentrepreneur, the MEI[2]. Lula signed both.

Credit

Debt renegotiated, credit released

From May to December 2024, Desenrola Pequenos Negócios renegotiated R$7.5 billion in debt for more than 120,000 MEIs, micro and small firms, with discounts of 20% to 95%, according to the government[5].

In 2025, Pronampe, in place since 2020, and ProCred 360 provided R$21 billion in loans to more than 341,000 micro and small firms[4].

Openings

A record year for new businesses

According to Sebrae, 5.1 million businesses were opened in 2025, a record, up 18.6% from 2024. Of these, 3.8 million were MEIs, plus 927,000 microenterprises and 207,000 small firms[3].

Small businesses opened per year rose from 3.7 million in 2022 to 4.9 million in 2025[3].

Reform

Flávio's vote on tax reform

On November 8, 2023, the Senate passed the tax reform 53 to 24. Flávio Bolsonaro voted against it; some Bolsonaro allies voted in favor[7]. The law that regulated it, from January 2025, kept the Simples and MEI rules[8].

The MEI ceiling remains R$81,000 a year. PLP 186/2026, still before Congress, proposes R$110,000 in 2027 and R$140,000 in 2028; it is not yet in force[9]. On October 25, the vote decides who carries this agenda forward.

Share this page

An image with the main fact, in stories format, and the link to this page. For the feed, with the 6 images and their caption, use Share carousel.

References09 sources

  1. 01Planalto · Lei Complementar nº 123, de 14 de dezembro de 2006Establishes the National Microenterprise Statute and the Simples Nacional; signed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.(opens in a new tab)
  2. 02Planalto · Lei Complementar nº 128, de 19 de dezembro de 2008Adds the individual microentrepreneur (art. 18-A) to LC 123; signed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.(opens in a new tab)
  3. 03Agência Sebrae · É recorde: 5,1 milhões de empresas foram abertas em 20255.1 million businesses opened in 2025 (+18.6%); 3.8 million MEIs; yearly series of MEI, ME and EPP openings.(opens in a new tab)
  4. 04Contábeis · Mais de 340 mil pequenos negócios acessam crédito em 2025 com Pronampe e ProCred 360Ministry report: R$21 billion in loans to more than 341,000 micro and small firms in 2025.(opens in a new tab)
  5. 05Agência Brasil (via O Povo) · Desenrola Pequenos Negócios renegocia dívidas de 120 mil empresasAccording to Secom, R$7.5 billion renegotiated by more than 120,000 small businesses, with discounts of 20% to 95%.(opens in a new tab)
  6. 06Planalto · Lei nº 14.995, de 10 de outubro de 2024Establishes Procred 360 and Desenrola Pequenos Negócios; signed into law by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.(opens in a new tab)
  7. 07CNN Brasil · Reforma teve voto a favor de lulistas e bolsonaristas; veja como votou cada senadorThe Senate passed the amendment 53 to 24; Flávio Bolsonaro is among those who voted against it.(opens in a new tab)
  8. 08Planalto · Lei Complementar nº 214, de 16 de janeiro de 2025Art. 41, § 2: firms under the Simples Nacional or the MEI remain subject to those regimes' rules.(opens in a new tab)
  9. 09Ministério do Empreendedorismo · Teto do MEICurrent ceiling of R$81,000; PLP 186/2026 proposes R$110,000 (2027) and R$140,000 (2028), not yet in force.(opens in a new tab)