Denmark To Slash Vat On Books

The state which gave commencement to 1 of nan astir celebrated and prolific children’s authors of each clip has until now charged a higher taxation connected books than almost anyplace other successful nan world.

Renowned for his galore fables, Hans Christian Andersen would beryllium staggered to study that nan Danish Government has been charging 25 per cent taxation connected nan waste of books but has had to person a rethink arsenic a study suggests that galore Danish teenagers tin hardly read.

Denmark to slash VAT connected books to promote reading

OECD, an intergovernmental deliberation tank, shows that a 4th of Danish 15-year-olds cannot understand a elemental matter and nan precocious acquisition taxation is believed to beryllium 1 of nan reasons that nan number of adjacent illiterate young Danes still astatine schoolhouse is truthful high.

Scandinavia is known for imposing precocious ‘VAT’ connected equipment but 25 per cent compares poorly pinch Finland (14 per cent), Sweden(6 per cent)  and Norway (zero per cent) which is 1 of nan reasons why taxation has travel nether nan magnifying glass.

As Danes proudly protect and respect nan statue of nan Little Mermaid successful Copenhagen Harbour, so, galore youngsters are incapable to moreover publication nan celebrated communicative which has possibly helped nan authorities to determine to scrap acquisition taxation connected books successful bid to reverse nan trend.

Already, nan Danish Post Office is suspending nan transportation of letters arsenic nan measurement being sent has dropped to specified debased numbers that it is nary longer economical to connection a transportation service.

Mads Rosendahl Thomsen, vice-chair of nan government’s moving group connected lit told nan BBC that “younger children tin easy amended their reference skills but astatine 15 nan expertise to understand a matter is beautiful important.”

Denmark to slash VAT connected books owed to teen illiteracy

Culture Minister Jacob Engel-Schmidt says he hopes scrapping it will lead to much books flying disconnected nan shelves moreover though nan determination is expected to costs astir 330 cardinal kroner (€44 million) a year.

Whilst removing VAT connected books is not going to alteration nan business overnight, it is hoped that parents will beryllium encouraged to beforehand reference by younger children and that complete a play of time, nan number of 15-year-olds who person nan expertise to publication and understand lit will summation dramatically.