VATupdate Newsletter Week 22 2025

BOOKED

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover—but in some European countries, it’s the VAT rate on the back that’s causing the real outrage.

Recently, Slovakia’s populist government announced plans to raise VAT on books to help patch up its public finances. It’s a move that has united an unusual cast of critics: independent publishers, passionate booksellers… and even far-right, pro-Russian propaganda groups. Turns out everyone likes their reading material a little cheaper—even if they disagree wildly on the content.

And Slovakia isn’t alone. The Netherlands, too, has been toying with the idea of hiking VAT on books—despite its long tradition of literary culture. Authors and publishers there have sounded the alarm, worried that rising prices might leave readers turning the page on books altogether. So far, the proposed increase has been halted—or at least postponed.

Around the world, nearly 750 million adults still lack basic literacy skills. That’s roughly one in seven people. In that light, books aren’t just cultural ornaments—they’re essential tools of empowerment. Raising VAT on them doesn’t just hit the wallet; it reinforces a system where only the well-off can afford to ask questions, explore ideas, or challenge what they’re told.

Will books become elite products? Will the wealthy get to decide who the ‘good’ authors are, while everyone else is priced out of the conversation?

Reduced VAT on books is more than just a fiscal choice—it’s a democratic one. It says: knowledge is for everyone. Storytelling isn’t just for the privileged. And the right to read shouldn’t depend on your income bracket.

But let’s pause for a moment and consider this: communication doesn’t always come on paper. Since the 1960s, scientists have been teaching sign language to apes—chimps, bonobos, gorillas. Some of them have learned hundreds of signs, expressing wants, emotions, even making jokes.

But here’s the kicker: they’ve never asked a single question. Not once. Decades of linguistic effort, and not one “why?” “how?” or “when?” ever came back.

Why is that? Are apes simply not curious? Or could they—just possibly—be trying to avoid drawing attention to themselves? Because if you start asking questions, you risk getting noticed… and possibly taxed. Maybe that’s why the apes stay silent. No questions, no scrutiny, no surcharge.

In the end, VAT on books is about more than public finances. It’s about who gets to think, to wonder, to ask “why?” And if those questions become too expensive, we might all be left with answers no one was allowed to challenge.

Think you’ll dodge the tax by going digital? Nice try. In many countries, eBooks used to be taxed at higher rates than their paper cousins—because apparently a novel becomes less educational when you swipe instead of flip. Some EU reforms have closed that gap, but others still treat eBooks as “digital services” rather than “cultural goods.”

So yes, you can read Orwell on your tablet—but don’t be surprised if Big Brother takes 21% VAT for the privilege.

If you have any comments, questions, or ideas that you want to share with us, please send us an email at [email protected] or leave a comment under the posts of this newsletter on LinkedIn.

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