The new VAT is reflected in the prices of the shows of January 1st

AndWe have been waiting for this since the announcement of the announcement. We are therefore very happy with this decision not to discriminate against a fixed speaker and what constitutes an improvised speaker. [o que fazia] the same artistic content has a different VAT. That makes sense, "said Sandra Faria, director of this structure, in statements to the Lusa agency.

The State budget proposal for 2019, adopted in October by the Parliament, generally provided for a reduction of VAT from 13% to 6% of performances of "singing, dancing, music, theater and circus ". Nevertheless, these performances should take place in "fixed enclosures of artistic spectacle or in traveling circuses".

At the time, the APEFE challenged this discrimination, claiming that the same artistic content would have different VAT rates, "depending on where it is presented," thus illustrating "the same show, s' he is in the garden of Belém with a VAT of 13% if it is in the CWB [Centro Cultural de Belém]he has 6% ".

However, according to the proposals for changes to the PSD, the CDS-PP and the PCP, adopted Tuesday evening in Parliament, in the specialty, the reduction of VAT to 6% is in the "entrances of singing shows", the dance, music, theater, cinema, bullfighting and circus ", with the exception of" entries in pornographic or obscene representations, as provided for in legislation on the subject ", thus eliminating the reference to "fixed places".

In addition, by a proposal from the Left Bloc (BE), the letter defining it would have effect from 1 July 2019, thereby entering into force on 1 January 2019.

"We are very pleased that this measure comes into effect from January 1, which is logical because it is the current financial year, not in July, in the middle of the year" said Sandra Faria.

According to the head of the APEFE, "this means that the tickets on sale at the moment, with a VAT of 13%, automatically, when the VAT will change, the price will drop". Sandra Faria stressed that she spoke only for the association "and not for the whole country".

The APEFE, formalized in 2017, brings together some of the biggest promoters of shows, such as All is new, Music in the heart, Rhythm, UAU, Rhythms & Blues, A better world, To the south of the world, Sounds in transit, Uguru and Regiconcerto.

In other words, the price of tickets already on sale for shows promoted by APEFE members will decrease in January; such a measure will affect, for example, the ticket value of some summer festivals.

Sandra Faria emphasizes that this measure "will help the public to spend less money to go to a festival".

"If you save 10 euros on an expensive ticket, you can use that money to go to another cultural activity – going to the theater, a jazz concert, or some other initiative. because today, people choose very well what they see, with the cost they have, and this measure is very important for that and it's good that it was taken, "he said. declared.

Emphasizing that he can only speak for the promoters of shows across the country and that "the state is the first promoter to have to lower the price of the tickets" because "he is a great cultural agent in all the country "," the idea that is on the table "in APEFE is" that the [bilhetes dos] shows on sale from January 1st [de preço]".

The VAT cut was an APEFE claim. In July, this association presented to the Assembly of the Republic a petition on the reduction of VAT on live shows, with 7,000 signatures.

On April 13 and November 5, as part of an APEFE protest initiative, tickets for various shows in Portugal, music and theater, were sold with a 6% VAT, and not 13% provided by law.

The final final vote on the state budget is scheduled for Thursday.