BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – The Federal Association of Digital Publishers and Newspaper Publishers (BDZV) has spoken out in favor of the abolition of VAT on newspapers. “The delivery promotion must now come immediately. The next step is zero percent VAT,” said media manager Stefan Hilscher as part of the new association board in an interview with the German Press Agency.
Hilscher emphasized: “As an industry, we have noticed that the appreciation of the media is completely different in other European countries.” There is now zero percent VAT on press products in a number of countries. This does not only apply to the daily newspaper, it usually also applies to magazines. “In some countries it’s two percent, but not seven percent like in Germany.” And there is often more funding in other countries. “We will also demand this from our politicians.”
Press publishers’ associations have been fighting for state funding for delivery for years. The media companies justify this with declining circulation figures for printed newspapers and magazines. The minimum wage for deliverers is also listed. Newspaper houses are pointing to declining developments, especially in more rural regions.
The plans of the previous black-red coalition for a delivery subsidy in the millions failed. The current federal government has the issue in the coalition agreement. There is no decision yet. There is also the question of responsibility between the departments.
In an interview, Matthias Ditzen-Blanke said when asked why the association had not yet managed to receive the delivery subsidy from the federal government: “There is a clear declaration of intent that there should be a delivery subsidy. That is the concern of Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz. At the moment it is questionable which ministry will do this.” Ditzen-Blanke forms the trio at the top of the association with Hilscher and BDZV general manager Sigrun Albert.
Albert added: “We expect that we will also restore competitiveness in the European context, which is simply no longer the case.”/gö/rin/DP/ngu