Two terms of Parliamentary commitment in advancing the reading in Italy

Measures to promote books and reading habits have been considered often in Parliament during the 17th and 18th terms. This essay aims at giving an account of such activity from the view point of the Standing Committee on Culture of the Italian House. It offers information about the constant dialogue between the Parliamentary body and publishers, bookshop keepers, librarians, distributors and translators in order to expand the base of reader’s market and to grant certitude to the whole industry. Many laws were enacted, such as a once only sum for teens who turn 18 to spend on books or other cultural products; the bonus for school teachers to spend in the same way; a tax credit for book shops; special funding for libraries, including school ones; the title for the so called Capital city of books; expenditure for the so called Reading agreements, intended to get cities, NGO’s and private enterprise involved together in the promotion of reading. Most of these measures finally were codified in the Act n. 15 of 2020. During the pandemic these opportunities were well taken advantage of and served as the blue print for the initiatives included in the Italian Recovery Plan, under Next Generation EU. The last part of the term that just came to a closing was dedicated to the attempt of reforming legislation in publishing, regarding also school books