斯里兰卡的书籍业要求取消18%的增值税, Sri Lanka's book industry demands removal of an 18% VAT, citing a 30% sales drop and job risks.

斯里兰卡的书籍业呼吁取消18%的增值税, Sri Lanka's book industry is calling for the removal of an 18% VAT on books, arguing it makes them unaffordable and harms small publishers. 今年征收的这项税导致销售下降30%,使约10,000人的工作面临风险。 The tax, imposed this year, has led to a 30% drop in sales and risks the jobs of about 10,000 people. 工业团体声称增值税违反了教科文组织《佛罗伦萨协定》,该协定禁止对教育材料征税,并敦促政府在下一个预算中豁免书籍。 Industry groups claim the VAT violates the UNESCO Florence Agreement, which bans taxes on educational materials, and urge the government to exempt books in the next budget.