FEP VAT Resolution

Brussels, 5 December 2017

Federation of European Publishers’ VAT Resolution

On 1 December 2016, the European Commission issued a long-awaited and much-needed proposal to allow Member States – if they so wish – to apply the same reduced, super-reduced and zero rates they apply to print books also to books on all kinds of supports. The book industry in Europe welcomed this initiative wholeheartedly as a decisive step towards the end of the unjustified discrimination in the fiscal treatment of books in different formats.

Nonetheless, one year later, we regret to note that not only has this proposal not been adopted yet, but it is not even on the agenda of the ECOFIN Council or its related preparatory bodies, despite it being a positive, forward-looking measure, aimed at encouraging reading and boosting e-commerce, flexible, and in addition voluntary.

With this Declaration, therefore, the Federation of European Publishers and its 29 members – national associations of publishers of books, learning materials, and/or journals in a range of media from all over Europe – gathered in their General Assembly, would like to express their disappointment at this unwarranted delay and strongly encourage all parties involved to work towards a swift conclusion of the process and a positive outcome for the European book sector, culture and citizens.

For more information, contact Enrico Turrin: eturrin@fep-fee.eu / 003227701110

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Members of the Federation of European Publishers are:

Austria: Hauptverband Des Österreichischen Buchhandels
Belgium: Groep Algemene Uitgevers and Groep Educatieve en Wetenschappelijke Uitgevers / Association Des Editeurs Belges
Bulgaria: Асоциация “Българска Книга”
Czech Republic: Svaz Českých Knihkupců a Nakladatelů
Denmark: Forlæggerforeningen
Estonia: Eesti Kirjastuste Liit
Finland: Suomen Kustannusyhdistys Ry
France: Syndicat National de L’edition
Germany: Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels
Greece: Ομοσπονδία Εκδοτών Βιβλίου Ελλάδος
Hungary: Magyar Könyvkiadók és Könyvterjesztők Egyesülése
Iceland: Félag Íslenskra Bókaútgefenda
Ireland: Publishing Ireland
Italy: Associazione Italiana Editori
Latvia: Latvijas Grāmatizdevēju Asociācijas
Lithuania: Lietuvos Leidėjų Asociacija
Luxembourg: Fédération Luxembourgeoise des Editeurs de Livres
The Netherlands: Nederlands Uitgeversverbond
Norway: Den Norske Forleggerforening
Poland: Polska Izba Książki
Portugal: Associação Portuguesa de Editores E Livreiros
Romania: Federaţia Editorilor Din România
Serbia: Удружење Издавача И Књижара
Slovakia: Združenie vydavateľov a kníhkupcov Slovenskej republiky
Slovenia: Gospodarska Zbornica Slovenije
Spain: Federación de Gremios de Editores de España
Sweden: Svenska Förläggareföreningen
United Kingdom: The Publishers Association