- Abolition of Sales Tax on Books: The Danish government has announced the removal of a 25% sales tax on books to address a “reading crisis,” with Culture Minister Jacob Engel-Schmidt expressing hopes that this will increase book sales and improve literacy among Danish youth.
- Financial Implications: This measure is expected to cost the government approximately 330 million kroner ($50 million) annually, as Denmark currently has one of the highest sales taxes on books in the world, significantly impacting accessibility.
- Concerns Over Reading Skills: Recent OECD data shows that a quarter of Danish 15-year-olds struggle with reading comprehension, prompting the government to take action. While the tax removal is not seen as a complete solution, it aims to make books more accessible and combat declining reading levels among teenagers.
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Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.
