EFTA Surveillance Authority : State Aid: New zero VAT rate for electronic news services approved

25.1.2016

EN | NO

Today the EFTA Surveillance Authority has approved the plans of the Norwegian authorities to introduce a zero VAT rate for electronic news services.

This measure is designed to bring the VAT treatment of electronic news services in line with that applicable to printed newspapers, where the existing zero VAT rate will remain in place unchanged.

«The new zero VAT rate makes it possible for news media, including the large number of local and regional newspapers in Norway, to publish and sell their content electronically without being disadvantaged by the VAT system», Mr. Sven Erik Svedman, president of the Authority, said.

«This will promote the consumption of news and current affairs media published in electronic form, which is of increasing importance for customers in Norway», he added.

The EFTA Surveillance Authority ensures that state aid granted by Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein is in line with EEA state aid rules.

While the Authority found that the measure provided an indirect advantage to companies selling electronic news services, it considered that that advantage would be compatible with the state aid rules of the EEA Agreement as it promotes an objective of common interest, namely media pluralism and diversity.

The measure also applies to electronic news services from outside Norway that meet the objective criteria for the zero VAT rate.

The approval of the measure is valid until 1 March 2022.

Documents

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Andreas Kjeldsberg Pihl
Press & Information Officer
tel. [phone]
mob. [phone]