The examples of French regulation mentioned on this forum are why the Brits are trying to escape the European Union. Too much regulation at too great a cost. (Much mixing of opinion and fact in the accompanying discussions, and a bit too much revealing of success in my humble opinion).
Sorry Mark, sometimes one has to counter fake information.
A joke. UK artist's craft guilds regulated far more on this subject and that much longer ago, even before the UK joined the EU. There are also differences between the tax regulations per EU country on this subject. UK;
https://www.artbusinessinfo.com/vat-for-artists.html In The Netherlands a painter selling his paintings directly to a customer has to add 6%, I see in the UK it is 20% !
The VAT issue should be seen in the context of artist's income too, many have a low income and fall outside the normal VAT ruling. Either can not deduct VAT on purchased goods and not add VAT to the selling price or do not have to transfer VAT earning up to say 1600 Euro a year to the tax collector. It is a bit more complex than described here. At the 6% rate that 1600 roughly translates to a 26000 difference between costs and selling prices in a year. The costs usually are in the 21% category so VAT tax deduction can be quite nice for an artist as the VAT income is at 6%. The gallery<>artist construction used today is based on that, the artist sells to the customer the total price including the 6% VAT, the gallery sends an 21% VAT invoice to the artist for the negotiation. Gallery usually takes something like 40% of the selling price. Given the different ruling in the UK that would not be as nice for the artist/customer. It is not an EU measure but a UK one in this case.
I think what is now happening in the USA and mentioned by the OP is more influenced by UK, AU, etc craft guilds and possibly by art dealers than by EU VAT regulations.
On Brexit there is a lot to say, pro and con, but for a long time I wished that the UK never had joined. With every attempt by Thatcher, Major etc to get an even better deal I said kick them out, having a half-hearted attitude towards the EU they are only in it for the money it seems. I have some pity with the younger ones there, though they should have voted instead of protest afterwards. In three years they can forget about a university study in Groningen that is affordable even for UK lower family incomes while it is not in the UK.
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34721679Interesting is that when I buy as a company goods from other countries in the EU they should deliver that without VAT applied so at 0%. I quote my international VAT number and that works perfectly, including US companies like Amazon working from Germany, Adobe from Ireland. Ordering from the UK often ends with a dispute on VAT, for example XARA, the software company, simply refuses to make an invoice at 0% VAT. For decades now.
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst
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