Author: dev_

Through the web page of the Ministry of Finance, the current status of each of the files filed by individuals, public institutions, decentralized entities, international organizations, among others, can be viewed. Thus, this Secretariat of State intends to speed up the process and the control of procedures, since it receives a monthly average of 8,700 files -about 430 per day- through all the entry desks it has.

To make inquiries, interested parties should follow the steps below:

- Enter the institutional web page (www.hacienda.gov.py) and click on “File Status”;

- Enter the file number and the corresponding year;

- Click on “Search”.

Interested parties can also download the Android application for their cell phones from Google Play.

The Draft General Budget of the Nation (PGN) for fiscal year 2019 contemplates an investment in infrastructure of 4.9 trillion guaraníes destined to the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) and 1.5 trillion guaraníes for projects of other entities for construction, maintenance and conservation of works.

The MOPC will also develop an urban development plan for the Costanera Norte, and will convene the sectors involved for this purpose. The work on the Costanera Norte includes some 11 km, with a 15 km bike path, alternative roads, and the construction of two viaducts in the area of the Botanical Garden. The plans do not rule out the possibility of installing intensive industries in the recovered area in order to generate jobs in the area.

In addition, the MOPC expects to call for bids for the reconstruction of the most critical sections of Route No. 9 “Carlos Antonio López” (Transchaco route) before the end of the year, in order to award the works in May 2019. The work will be executed under the Rehabilitation and Maintenance Contracts by Service Index (CREMA) modality, and the reconstruction will be divided into 7 sections plus the accesses to the communities of Loma Plata, Filadelfia, Neuland and others, which will be in charge of an eighth company.

For its part, the National Electricity Administration (ANDE) projects works for the value of US$298 million as priorities for 2019, for which it will seek financing through the law that grants State guarantees. Thus, the supplier's credit would finance supply contracts and works up to a value of US$300 million with a guarantee from the Public Treasury and for an amortization term of 10 years (plus a grace period of at least three years). ANDE will also improve and reinforce power distribution lines in the metropolitan area, for which it will invest US$100 million. It also foresees the construction of more subway distribution lines which, although much more expensive than overhead lines, will be the long-term solution to reduce, as far as possible, power service interruptions.

A new tool made available to the public by the National Public Procurement Directorate (DNCP) shows the geographical location of the works tendered by the Paraguayan State. The so-called “Interactive Map of Tenders” allows searches by tender name, entity, stage and dates, as well as detailed information on the tender and the contracts. The interactive map can be accessed through the following link: https://www.contrataciones.gov.py/datos/visualizaciones/mapa-obras#/map.

If you would like to know more about bidding opportunities, please do not hesitate to contact: Walter David Vera (wvera@vouga.com.py) 

The most recognized directories that list and rate law firms and their members around the world once again include Vouga Abogados in their most recent editions, highlighting our firm as one of the leaders in Paraguay. In the same way, they distinguish numerous professionals of Vouga Abogados with recommendations and high individual considerations.

• The recently released 2019 edition of the Chambers and Partners guide ranks the Firm in the Band 1 category for Banking and Finance, Corporate/Commercial and Dispute Resolution in addition to highlighting us equally in two other areas and individually recommending eight of our lawyers.
• The 2018 edition of The Legal 500, currently accessible online, ranks us Tier 1 for Corporate and M&A, Dispute Resolution and Environment, highlighting the Firm in four other areas and individually recommending nine of our professionals.

• The current edition of The IFLR1000, available through its website, ranks the Firm in the Tier 1 category for the area of Financial and Corporate, the most important of the areas analyzed for Paraguay, and individually highlights nine of our lawyers.

With major editorial teams dedicated to researching the performance of law firms, these directories offer those who consult them an accurate understanding of the legal environment in each jurisdiction listed. Today, even professional associations such as the International Bar Association (the world's largest bar association) are analyzing the growing importance of these directories, taking into account their tangible and intangible benefits for both firms and clients.

We are grateful for the trust placed in us by our clients, who are the basis of all these achievements by the Firm and its professionals.

The leading guide The IFLR1000, which ranks the top lawyers and law firms in the corporate and financial areas in more than 120 jurisdictions around the world, has ranked our firm in the Tier 1 category (Rank 1) for the Financial and Corporate area, placing it as one of the leading firms in Paraguay.

IFLR1000 also highlighted several professionals from Vouga Advogados, with high considerations. Attorneys Rodolfo Vouga and Cynthia Fatecha lead in the “Highly Regarded” category, while Perla Alderete, Alice Ferreira, Marta Martínez, Marco Colmán, Walter Vera and Andrés Vera are ranked as “Notable Practitioners” in their respective areas of expertise. The guide also highlights Rodolfo Guillermo Vouga in the “Rising Star” category.

First published in 1990, The IFLR1000 rankings incorporate a ranking of lawyers and law firms categorized by practice area and jurisdiction - including reviews of firms' performance, strengths, client and peer reviews and examples of their work - and an online database of transactions, as well as legal market news and analysis.

From Vouga Abogados we express our gratitude to our clients, whose trust is the basis of the achievements of the firm and its professionals.

Learn more about our firm's profile in The IFLR1000 here: https://bit.ly/2x98EDC

In order to formalize the hiring of employees for less than a full working day, unions related to the Paraguayan Chamber of Supermarkets (CAPASU) and the Ministry of Labor have agreed on a draft bill to be presented soon.

This regulation would allow young students to work part-time -from 16 to 43 hours per week-, thus acquiring work experience and having the possibility of being hired later by companies on a permanent basis.

By formalizing part-time work, the aim is to avoid school dropout rates and encourage the desire to progress, offering the same benefits as a formal job: a salary that corresponds to the hours worked and social coverage as a contributor to the Social Security Institute (IPS).

If you would like to learn more about the labor regulations in force in Paraguay, please do not hesitate to contact Perla Alderete (palderete@vouga.com.py) or Walter David Vera (wvera@vouga.com.py) 

In the search for greater agility in the process and control of procedures, the Ministry of Finance has made transparent the management of files filed by citizens, public institutions, decentralized entities, international organizations and others, with online technology in real time, thanks to which only an Internet connection is needed to view the current status or the progress of a file in the Ministry of Finance.

The consultation process is simple:

• Access the website of the Ministry of Finance (http://www.hacienda.gov.py)
• Enter the “File Status” menu (located in the right column).
• Enter the file number and the corresponding year.
• Click on the “Search” button.

Android users can also download the Ministry's application (app) free of charge from Google Play to carry out this and other procedures.

If you would like to learn more about procedures before governmental institutions, please contact Andrés Vera (avera@vouga.com.py) or Silvia Benítez (sbenitez@vouga.com.py)

In order to make it easier for taxpayers to comply with the requirements established by the latest regulations that introduced changes in the regime of joint stock companies, the Treasury Counsel's Office of the Ministry of Finance enabled electronic procedures such as notification of the registration of amendments to bylaws, exchange of shares and communication of share transfers.

Likewise, the Attorney's Office issued Resolution AT No. 05/18 establishing the documentary requirements for each process, with the purpose of electronically submitting such documents. The regulations are available on the institution's website (www.abogacia.gov.py), in the “Legal Framework” section.

Training sessions are also planned for the interior of the country, the schedules of which will be published in due course on the web page and other institutional communication networks.

If you wish to know more about the procedures derived from the modifications to the regime of Joint Stock Companies, do not hesitate to contact Perla Alderete (palderete@vouga.com.py) or Marco Colmán (mcolman@vouga.com.py)

Perla Alderete and Marco Colmán, from Vouga Abogados, lectured on the changes introduced by Law No. 5895/2017 and Decree No. 9043/2018 in the regime of Joint Stock Companies, in a talk held at the premises of the National Chamber of Commerce and Services last Monday, August 13.

The event was aimed at the Chamber's associates and others interested in the subject, and analyzed several relevant aspects for the adaptation of joint stock companies to the new requirements established by the latest regulatory provisions applicable to them. Issues related to the procedures, mechanisms, deadlines and obligations to be complied with, as well as the penalties applicable in case of non-compliance, were discussed.

At Vouga Abogados we consider it important to contribute to the dissemination of legal knowledge, in order to promote full compliance with legal regulations, which results in a more orderly, safe and transparent social relationship.

If you would like to know more about the modifications introduced by the latest legal provisions to the Joint Stock Company regime, please do not hesitate to contact Perla Alderete (palderete@vouga.com.py) or Marco Colmán (mcolman@vouga.com.py)

The prestigious directory Chambers & Partners, dedicated to the publication of guides that identify and rank the best lawyers and law firms in the world, has once again highlighted Vouga Abogados in its 2019 edition, rating the firm in all practice areas listed for Paraguay, in addition to making individual recommendations of our lawyers.

The publication has rated our firm in Band 1 for Banking and Finance, Corporate/Commercial and Dispute Resolution, Band 2 for Environmental and Band 3 for Intellectual Property.

As for individual recommendations, we include below the list of the lawyers of our firm with the corresponding rating given in their respective areas:

Banking and Finance

Cynthia Fatecha - Banda 1

Rodolfo Vouga - Band 1

Carlos Vouga – Up and Coming

Corporativo/Comercial

Rodolfo Vouga - Band 1

Perla Alderete – Band 3

Rodolfo Guillermo Vouga Z. – Up and Coming

Corporate/Commercial: labor and employment.

Perla Alderete – Band 1

Dispute Resolution

Mirtha Dos Santos – Band 2

Environmental

Marta Martinez – Associates to watch

Intellectual Property

Laura María Lezcano Martínez – Band 3

Chambers and Partners has been providing in-depth global legal industry research for over thirty years, thanks to a London-based team of more than 200 researchers who collectively speak 23 languages and conduct thousands of interviews each year, ensuring a robust research process with measurable results.

Vouga Abogados is grateful for the trust placed in us by our clients, who are the basis of the achievements of the firm and its professionals.

Learn more about our firm's profile in the Chambers and Partners guide here: https://www.chambersandpartners.com/Latin-America/firm/3332/vouga-abogados

To keep growing aligned with compliance requirements and high ethical standards that characterize professional practice, we are pleased to share with our clients, colleagues and the business community in general the implementation of our Code of Ethics and Conduct (CEC). It is the result of an internal process that successfully ended up in August. The CEC is available to team members and clients as a document attached to this presentation.

El CEC tiene como fundamentos las normas legales, los principios éticos y las buenas prácticas de excelencia aplicables al ejercicio de la profesión de abogado y la prestación de asesoramiento profesional en general, tanto a nivel nacional como internacional, además de reflejar las buenas prácticas propias que han sido internalizadas a lo largo de décadas de servicio, y que otorgan al Estudio una identidad característica en el ejercicio de la profesión jurídica.

De esta manera plasmamos en un documento, que ponemos al alcance de todos, los principios que aplican a todas las relaciones profesionales de los integrantes, incluyendo aquellas internas dentro del Estudio, y las externas con los clientes, otros estudios, colegas, la administración pública y la sociedad en general.

En Vouga Abogados valoramos estos principios en el firme convencimiento que la ética y excelencia profesionales son inseparables entre sí y esenciales para el éxito empresarial duradero y sustentable, en razón de que generan confianza, respeto, calidad y beneficios mutuos.

To facilitate the effective application of the CEC, we enable the email address etica@vouga.com.py , so that any interested person can make queries or complaints related to the CEC.

Our CEC is in line with the work being done by the Firm in the area of Compliance for different clients. Currently, we are working on a survey among very representative companies of the Paraguayan business community in order to achieve a report on Compliance—a pioneer in the country.