CAVe - CUT against VAT on ebooks....
CAVe is a campaign against the principle and practice of charging VAT on e-books, when traditional books have been VAT free since the tax was established over 40 years ago.
CAVe is the initiative of CUT - The Writers e-Publishing Social Network.
Please sign our online petition – see below.
Literature is a cultural treasure to be encouraged and nurtured for all of us, our children and the generations to follow.
Reading is a both a joy and a right in a civilised society; it is a fundamental element of our education and development. That’s why books have been excluded from the scope of VAT since it was established over 40 years ago.
Prue Leith, the author and food writer said :-
‘The Treasury wouldn't put VAT on books any more than they would burn them! So how can they do it to e-books?’
But now that book sales are migrating towards digital formats - the UK Treasury looks with greedy eyes on the revenues available from taxing e-books.
Calling an e-book “a program download” was all that was required to artificially extend the scope of VAT into taxing literature. Frankly, we at CUT are staggered by the blatant opportunism and the lack of shame which this demonstrates, at a time when educational materials are increasingly being delivered in e-book form.
This wrong must be put right - VAT should not be charged on literary works simply because they don’t have a cover made from leather, cardboard or paper.
CUT - The Writers e-Publishing Social Network, urges the UK Government to abolish VAT on the sale of e-books. We want the UK Treasury (HMRC) to begin the process of abolition unilaterally and then lobby the EU to do likewise.
To join the campaign please visit: Sign CAVe CUT Against VAT on e-Books
If you wish to become a writer member of CUT, or learn more about the CUT project, visit www.cutalongstory.com 