Saatja: Sirje Alliksoo <
[email protected]>
Saadetud: 22.06.2023 08:22
Adressaat: Rahandusministeerium <
[email protected]>; KUM min <
[email protected]>
Teema: Pöördumise edastamine
Tähtsus: Tavaline
Manused: Letter to PM Kallas regarding VAT increase for press products.pdf
Meie viide: 23-01299-2
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_________________________________________________________________________________
_____
From: Wout van Wijk <
[email protected] >
Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2023 5:46 PM
To: Kaja Kallas <
[email protected] >
Cc: Gerrit Mäesalu <
[email protected] >; Britta Tarvis <
[email protected] >
Subject: Letter to the attention of PM Kallas - VAT increase for press products in Estonia
Dear Prime Minister,
With great regret we took note of Estonia’s decision to increase the VAT for press products from 5%
to 9% from 2025.
News Media Europe finds it disappointing that the Estonian government is going in a direction
opposite to that of other EU Member States at a time when the media needs all the support it can
receive to fight propaganda and disinformation, and fulfil its role as watchdog of our democracies.
In 2021 EU finance ministers, including representatives of Estonia’s government, approved
amendments to the VAT directive allowing Member States to apply VAT zero-rates to news
publications, in print and online. This marked an important milestone for the sector given the severe
impact of the COVID19 pandemic on our sector as well as the fierce competition with online
platforms, allowing Member States to introduce measures providing immediate relief and ensuring
that high-quality journalism remains available to citizens.
In this light, we regard an increase of VAT on journalism as a dangerous step that will put at risk the
quality of journalism, the plurality of the media offering and the ability of news publishers to employ
journalists in Estonia.
We look at Estonia’s VAT increase for press products with concern and kindly ask for an explanation
of the motives behind your government’s decision.
Yours Sincerely,
Wout van Wijk
--
Wout van Wijk
[signed copy of this letter in attachment]
Brussels, 20 June 2023
Dear Prime Minister,
With great regret we took note of Estonia’s decision to increase the VAT for press products from
5% to 9% from 2025.
News Media Europe finds it disappointing that the Estonian government is going in a direction
opposite to that of other EU Member States at a time when the media needs all the support it
can receive to fight propaganda and disinformation, and fulfil its role as watchdog of our
democracies.
In 2021 EU finance ministers, including representatives of Estonia’s government, approved
amendments to the VAT directive allowing Member States to apply VAT zero-rates to news
publications, in print and online. This marked an important milestone for the sector given the
severe impact of the COVID19 pandemic on our sector as well as the fierce competition with
online platforms, allowing Member States to introduce measures providing immediate relief
and ensuring that high-quality journalism remains available to citizens.
In this light, we regard an increase of VAT on journalism as a dangerous step that will put at risk
the quality of journalism, the plurality of the media offering and the ability of news publishers
to employ journalists in Estonia.
We look at Estonia’s VAT increase for press products with concern and kindly ask for an
explanation of the motives behind your government’s decision.
Yours Sincerely,
Wout van Wijk
Executive Director
News Media Europe
[email protected]
+32 473 685864