Denmark cut off taxes on the book to combat “reading the crisis”

The Danish government has announced that it would cancel 25% of the book sales tax, trying to fight the “reading of the crisis”.

Tax is one of the highest in the world. Culture Minister Jacob Egel-Schmith says he hopes it will be a segment that it will lead to more books that fly out of the shelves.

This measure is expected to cost about 330 million Kroner ($ 50 million, £ 38) per year.

Data from the Intergovernmental Analytical Center show that a quarter of Danish 15-year-olds cannot understand the simple text.

“Unfortunately, the reading crisis has spread in recent years,” said Engel-Shmit. He added that he was “incredibly proud” to go on the tax.

He said that “it is necessary to spend big money on investment in consumption and culture” of the Danish people.

In Finland, Sweden and Norway – which also have a standard value added tax (VAT) by 25%, as Denmark – VAT is 14%, 6% and 0% respectively. In the UK, books are also without VAT.

Polls have shown a decrease in reading and understanding among Danish teenagers, Mads Rosand Thomsen, deputy chairman of the Government Working Group in Literature.

The younger children can easily improve their reading skills, but the 15 opportunity to understand the text is very important, “he said BBC.

The figures were “rather shocking,” he said, citing OECD research.

Young people are fighting reading because they have “so many options” and can be “easy to distract”.

He said the removal of the VAT in the books was not a complete decision, but it would make the books “more accessible”.

The working group of the Literature Government also considered ways of exporting Danish literature, digitizing book market and influence on the authors’ payment.