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In the UK, taxes will no longer be levied on tampons and pads with immediate effect.
The VAT for these products was completely abolished at the turn of the year, as the Ministry of Finance announced on Friday.
Finance Minister Rishi Sunak had already decided in his budget planning in spring to remove the unpopular taxation.
Many poor girls and women have had too little money for the products for years and resort to old newspapers, cloth towels and toilet paper during their period.
In the EU countries, at least five percent VAT applies on tampons and sanitary towels.
Until now, the UK levied this five percent tax on such items.
After the end of the Brexit transition phase, Great Britain has been independent of these EU rules since the New Year.
"I'm proud that today we can deliver on our promise to abolish the tampon tax," said Sunak.
“Hygiene products are essential, so it is right that we do not levy VAT.” In addition, free tampons and pads are to be made available in hospitals and schools.
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Scotland had already pushed ahead on this point in November and passed a law to combat so-called period poverty.
Sanitary towels, tampons and similar items should therefore be available free of charge in public institutions in the future.
In Germany, the tax on sanitary towels and tampons was reduced from 19 to 7 percent VAT in 2020 after a long struggle by a number of activists.
Fawcett Society women's rights activist Felicia Willow welcomed the change in the UK: "It was a long way to this point, but finally this sexist tax that classified hygiene products as non-essential luxury products has made it into the history books." the tax could save women 40 pounds sterling (about 45 euros) over the life of their lives.