Reduce the VAT on e-books, currently at 22%, and align it with the much lower one (4%) reserved for paper books. The proposal comes from Frankfurt where the Book Fair is underway, one of the most important events of the year for the publishing sector. For Italy, it is still a crisis: Nielsen data show that in 2014 sales decreased by 4,7% on 2013 and about 10% less on 2012. in three years the sector has lost 20% of its value . The e-book segment is the only one growing (+3% so far but could rise by 4,5-5% by the end of the year).
Heavy numbers which, according to the president of the Italian Publishers Association (IEA) Marco Polillo, lead us to a structural crisis of very vast proportions, with Italy penultimate in Europe in reading levels. Hence the campaign "A book is a book" which aims to reduce VAT on e-books. Minister Dario Franceschini confirmed that he was in favor and undertook to bring the issue to the next Ecofin which is responsible for any decision on VAT among the countries of the single market.
