The Danish government plans to abolish the existing 25% VAT on books to promote reading, Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt announced on Wednesday.
“The government proposes to remove VAT on books in its budget bill,” Engel-Schmidt said in an interview with Ritzau news agency.
He underlined the urgency of addressing Denmark’s “reading crisis,” which he said has worsened in recent years.
Eliminating the VAT is expected to cost the state 330 million kroner (€44.2 million) annually.
According to the latest OECD Pisa report, 24% of Danish 15-year-olds lack basic reading skills needed to comprehend and extract information from simple texts. This percentage has risen by four points over the past decade.
Denmark currently has the highest VAT rate on books in Europe, whereas many countries apply reduced or special rates. The UK, for example, levies no VAT on books.
The proposal has been welcomed by Danish publishing professionals.
In a report submitted to the minister in May, they argued that eliminating VAT, combined with increased public funding for book purchases in libraries, could significantly bolster reading culture.
They emphasised that it would also ensure access to physical books for all Danes, both children and adults.
