In a new report, the International Publishers Association finds that higher VAT rates on books can have a negative impact on book sales, education and copyright.
The UAE Exempts Books From VAT, Gives Workers Reading Time
Books will remain exempt from VAT in the United Arab Emirates, even as a 5 percent VAT rate takes effect in the country in 2018.
The UAE’s Walid Aradi: ‘A Transformative Time’
When ‘an increasingly globalized and educated population’ demands more, ‘publishers are faced with the challenge of redefining an industry,’ in the United Arab Emirates.
Kenyan Publishers Call for Zero VAT on Books
The Kenyan Publishers Association voices its frustration with Nairobi’s book tax, rare in Africa. Those punished by it, they say, are public school students.
Color It Confusing: Are Adult Coloring Books Not Books?
If Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs office can somehow categorize coloring books as not books—and “incomplete” because they’re not colored in—what might publishers have to pay in VAT?
EC Opens Public Consultation on ‘the Role of Publishers in the Copyright Value Chain’
As part of the European Commission’s Digital Single Market initiative, publishers and authors are being asked for input on copyright issues by June 15.
‘A Book Is a Book’: Europe’s Taxing Dilemma
Setting the stage for Europe’s debate about ebook taxation, a European Parliament Research Service briefing lays out the dilemma.
Fixed Prices for Ebooks in Germany: At What Cost?
Germany will soon finalize fixed prices for ebooks, but questions remain about how this will affect various sales models and ebook adoption rates.
Italy Sees Print Sales Buoyed in 2015
Even as the VAT rates changed, Italy saw a rise in print sales in 2015 after a five-year decline.
VAT Rates on Books and Ebooks Around the World
The International Publishers Association and the Federation of European Publishers has released a report of VAT rates on books and ebooks around the world.