Whilst printed newspapers can avail of reduced VAT rates throughout Europe, online newspapers are taxed at the standard rate.  (In Ireland, the VAT rate on the printed newspaper is 9 per cent whilst the standard rate of 23% applies to digital newspapers.)

In Dublin last month, the President of ENPA Mr Ivar Rusdal, asked the Irish Government to use its influence at European level to address this inconsistency.

“A single reduced rate of VAT should be applied to both printed newspapers and their digital editions,“ he said. “Publishers are being encouraged to embrace the digital age and to invest in the online space; an alignment of VAT rates at the lowest possible level would assist publishers in expanding their digital offerings.”