After listening to a series of guests, the Education and Culture Commission generally supported the message and anticipated that, in the debate in particular, a series of improvements to the proposal will be included.
Aspects on conceptualization, copyright, among other issues, were raised to the Education and Culture Commission, instance that generally approved the project, in the first constitutional process, that modifies Law N ° 19,227, which creates the National Fund for the Promotion of Books and Reading, to incorporate the electronic book.
The Commission -which is chaired by Senator Jaime Quintana- heard representatives of the Chilean Chamber of the Book; of the Library of the National Congress; of the Society of Writers of Chile; the Association of Independent, University and Self-Employed Editors of Chile; and the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Consuelo Valdés.
The institutions agreed that although the legal text is a contribution, a series of aspects must be anticipated, such as clarifying the concept of digital book or e-book and moving towards a redefinition. In addition, give a new impetus to the entire sector; study a law of fixed price for books and that the State purchases are to bookstores with emphasis on the regions and incorporate these issues into the national policy of reading and books.
Another issue of cross-cutting concern was to debate the reduction of VAT on books.
The senators agreed with the points indicated and announced that they will be included in the discussion in particular, a position was supported by Minister Valdés, who announced that there is a “will to incorporate observations” and valued the consensus on the value of the book in the development of the country.
Once the respective report has been issued, the Chamber will pronounce itself and set a deadline to present the indications.
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