For years, the EU has treated e-books as software and not as books, meaning they were liable to up to 20% tax. Now – at last – the EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council has agreed to allow member states to give eBooks and audiobooks VAT free status.
Those with a long memory will remember that the EU had previously challenged countries who attempted a unilateral lowering of tax on electronic books.
(see https://www.infotoday.eu/Articles/News/Featured-News/EC-to-challenge-cut-price-VAT-on-e-books-87862.aspx )
Now it is up to publishers and other bodies to lobby governments and agencies to take advantage of the proposed changes. In the UK, the Publishers Association has released a statement:
"The government must act now to remove this unfair and illogical tax on e-books, magazine and newspaper online subscriptions. It makes no sense in the modern world that readers are being penalised with an additional 20% tax for choosing to embrace digital. We should not be taxing reading and learning."
Sources and further reading: Goodereader.com; Noshelfrequired.com; Thedigitalreader.com; Reuters.com.