Austerity measures in Romania include raising VAT on books from 5% to 11%, which could lead to the disappearance of bookstores and publishers.

The Romanian government has imposed austerity measures, including a VAT hike on books, which experts consider dramatic given that only 30% of Romanians read. This will seriously affect the publishing market, with the risk of closing bookstores and publishing houses, especially small ones. By comparison, other EU countries have significantly lower VAT rates for books. The impact will include price increases, lower sales and a return to self-publishing, affecting the quality of Romanian literature.