In Denmark Read will cost less. The government has announced the decision to reset the VAT on the books, so far set at 25%, one of the highest rates in the world. The measure arises from the will to curb what the same minister of culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt has defined a real “Reading crisis“.
The goal: bring young people back to reading
According to the OECD data, in fact, a quarter of the Danish fifteen -year -olds is unable to read and understand a simple text, an alarm bell that has pushed Copenhagen to act. The provision will be included in the budget bill and will involve an estimated cost of about 330 million crowns per year, equal to just over 44 million euros.
An expense that the government considers a necessary cultural investment. Engel-Schmidt reiterated that it is not only an economic question, but a symbolic act to restore centrality to the book as a tool for personal and collective growth.
A trend involving Europe
Denmark is not the first European country to adopt this strategy: Ireland and the Czech Republic have already abolished the tax, while in the nearby UK (outside the EU) the VAT in the books has been at zero for some time. In other states, the rates are more contained: in Sweden 6%, in Finland at 14%, while in Norway – although not a member of the Union – the books have no taxation.
And how does Italy place?
In our country, VAT in the books is 4%, among the lowest in Europe, but this is not enough to solve the problem of the low propensity for reading. Istat data are clear: less than 40% of Italians reads at least one book per year outside school or professional obligations. The challenge therefore does not only concern prices, but also the promotion of reading, especially among the youngest.
A replicable model?
The Danish choice shows how institutions can intervene decisively to support culture. Reset the tax is a concrete gesture that lowers access barriers, but alone it is not enough: integrated policies are needed, from school libraries to reading education programs. It remains to be seen if other European governments will decide to follow the example of Copenhagen.
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