Brazil Establishes National Plain Language Policy to Streamline Public Sector Communication

A significant legislative development has taken effect in Brazil, aimed at standardizing and simplifying how the public sector communicates. This initiative, formalized under Law No. 15.263, was promulgated by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on November 14, 2025, and officially entered the public record on November 17, 2025. The law formally institutes the National Plain Language Policy.

This new mandate compels all levels of government—federal, state, and municipal agencies—to adopt clear, direct, and easily accessible messaging when engaging with the citizenry. The core objective behind this policy is to ensure that the public can effortlessly locate, comprehend, and utilize official information. Proponents anticipate that this clarity will serve a dual purpose: reducing administrative overhead and decreasing the reliance on intermediaries to navigate bureaucratic processes.

The legislation sets forth specific technical benchmarks for official correspondence. These standards mandate the use of concise sentences, the preference for active voice constructions, and the strict avoidance of excessive jargon or obscure foreign terminology. Furthermore, the policy places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, aligning with the provisions of the Statute of Persons with Disabilities (Law No. 13.146/2015) by requiring that communications be readily understandable for individuals with disabilities.

A particularly noteworthy component of Law No. 15.263 involves adherence to grammatical standards as codified in the Consolidated Official Dictionary of the Portuguese Language (VOLP) and the Orthographic Agreement of 2008. Critically, this provision explicitly prohibits the use of newer gender-neutral inflections, such as terms like 'todes,' 'elu,' or 'amigues,' which are employed to refer to non-binary individuals. Supporters of this clause maintain that it is essential for preserving grammatical integrity and ensuring unambiguous communication in official documents. However, this stance has drawn criticism, particularly in light of Brazil’s international commitments, including recommendations from both the United Nations and UNESCO, which advocate for the adoption of gender-inclusive language.

The initial concept for this policy was championed by Representative Érica Kokay, focusing on bridging the gap between the government and the populace through 'plain language' principles. During the legislative process in the Chamber of Deputies, a contentious amendment concerning gender inflection was integrated into the final text. Separately, the Brazilian Linguistics Association (Abralin) expressed approval regarding the President's partial veto of Article 7 of the original draft, which had proposed appointing a civil servant to subjectively monitor compliance with these communication practices.

The executive branch is tasked with issuing detailed regulations for the implementation of these new rules within a 90-day timeframe, affecting operations across all governmental tiers, including local municipalities. According to consultant Patrícia Matuszewski, while the law represents a vital step forward, its success hinges on a fundamental shift in administrative culture. This transition must move away from communication designed primarily for internal processes toward one that is genuinely citizen-centric.