Latest news with #JakobEngel-Schmidt
LeMonde
6 hours ago
- Business
- LeMonde
Denmark to end book tax to encourage people to read
Worried by a "reading crisis," Denmark's government will eliminate its sales tax on books, looking to get more citizens buying them, the culture minister said Wednesday, August 20. The Scandinavian country's 25% tax on books is currently the highest in Europe, and stands in stark contrast with countries such as Britain that charge no sales tax on book purchases. "We need to do all we can to fix this reading crisis that has unfortunately spread in recent years," Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt told news agency Ritzau, announcing the government's budget bill would propose eliminating the sales tax on books. The measure would cost the state an estimated 330 million kroner ($51 million) a year. The latest education report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) raised alarm in Denmark when it found 24% of Danish 15-year-olds cannot understand a simple text, up four percentage points in a decade. Denmark's publishing industry had pushed for the tax cut, saying in a May report the government needed to "guarantee access to physical books for all Danes – both children and adults."
RTÉ News
11 hours ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
'Reading crisis' prompts Denmark to end 25% tax on books
Worried by a "reading crisis", Denmark's government will eliminate its sales tax on books, looking to get more citizens buying them, the culture minister has said. The Scandinavian country's 25% tax on books is currently the highest in Europe, and stands in stark contrast with countries such as Britain that charge no sales tax on book purchases. "We need to do all we can to fix this reading crisis that has unfortunately spread in recent years," Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt told news agency Ritzau, announcing the government's budget bill would propose eliminating the sales tax on books. The measure would cost the state an estimated 330 million kroner ($51 million) a year. The latest education report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) raised alarm in Denmark when it found 24% of Danish 15-year-olds cannot understand a simple text, up four percentage points in a decade. Denmark's publishing industry had pushed for the tax cut, saying in a May report the government needed to "guarantee access to physical books for all Danes - both children and adults".
News18
17 hours ago
- Business
- News18
'Everything's At Stake': This Country Is Making Books Tax Free To Tackle Reading Crisis
Denmark plans to abolish 25% VAT on books to address a "reading crisis." Denmark is set to abolish value-added tax (VAT) on books in a bid to encourage more people to read, after warning of a growing 'reading crisis" in the country. At 25%, Denmark currently levies the world's highest tax rate on books- a policy the government says has discouraged reading. Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt announced that the government will include the measure in its upcoming budget bill. The initiative is expected to cost the state around 330 million kroner (£38 million) annually. Engel-Schmidt said, 'This is something that I, as minister of culture, have worked for, because I believe that we must put everything at stake if we are to end the reading crisis that has unfortunately been spreading in recent years." He added, 'I am incredibly proud. It is not every day that one succeeds in convincing colleagues that such massive money should be spent on investing in the consumption and culture of the Danes." Nordic Comparisons Other Nordic countries also have standard VAT rates of 25%, but books are exempt. Finland charges 14% VAT on books, Sweden 6% and Norway none at all. Sweden reduced VAT on books in 2001, which led to an increase in sales. Engel-Schmidt said the Danish government wanted to do more than just make books cheaper. 'It is also about getting literature out there," he said, noting that funds have already been allocated to strengthen cooperation between schools and public libraries to help children discover literature. In 2023, 8.3 million books were sold in Denmark, both in shops and online, according to the national statistics office. With a population of just over six million, the most popular titles were children's picture and activity books, followed by crime, thriller and suspense novels. Engel-Schmidt also said that the government would closely track whether the measure actually reduces prices for consumers, adding, 'I will of course monitor how prices develop. If it turns out that abolishing VAT only means that publishers' profits grow and prices do not fall, then we must consider whether it was the right thing to do." view comments First Published: August 20, 2025, 23:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
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First Post
18 hours ago
- Business
- First Post
Denmark to scrap sales tax on books to tackle ‘reading crisis', its 25% levy is highest in Europe
Denmark will remove its 25% sales tax on books to tackle a 'reading crisis,' said Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt. The move, costing 330 million kroner yearly, aims to increase book sales. Worried by a 'reading crisis', Denmark's government will eliminate its sales tax on books, looking to get more citizens buying them, the culture minister said Wednesday. The Scandinavian country's 25-percent tax on books is currently the highest in Europe, and stands in stark contrast with countries such as Britain that charge no sales tax on book purchases. 'We need to do all we can to fix this reading crisis that has unfortunately spread in recent years,' Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt told news agency Ritzau, announcing the government's budget bill would propose eliminating the sales tax on books. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The measure would cost the state an estimated 330 million kroner ($51 million) a year. The latest education report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) raised alarm in Denmark when it found 24 percent of Danish 15-year-olds cannot understand a simple text, up four percentage points in a decade. Denmark's publishing industry had pushed for the tax cut, saying in a May report the government needed to 'guarantee access to physical books for all Danes – both children and adults'.
New Indian Express
19 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
To get people reading, Denmark to end book tax
COPENHAGEN: Worried by a "reading crisis", Denmark's government will eliminate its sales tax on books, looking to get more citizens buying them, the culture minister said Wednesday. The Scandinavian country's 25-percent tax on books is currently the highest in Europe, and stands in stark contrast with countries such as Britain that charge no sales tax on book purchases. "We need to do all we can to fix this reading crisis that has unfortunately spread in recent years," Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt told news agency Ritzau, announcing the government's budget bill would propose eliminating the sales tax on books. The measure would cost the state an estimated 330 million kroner ($51 million) a year. The latest education report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) raised alarm in Denmark when it found 24 percent of Danish 15-year-olds cannot understand a simple text, up four percentage points in a decade. Denmark's publishing industry had pushed for the tax cut, saying in a May report the government needed to "guarantee access to physical books for all Danes -- both children and adults".
