I wonder: where is the remarkable part of the fact that European subscribers will be asked to pay the VAT when paying for an online service? Is it worth writing a newspaper article?

Yes, if the service is Second Life, and you make a misleading connection with the widely discussed subject of taxes applied within virtual worlds (i.e. paying taxes on your earnings IN Second Life, before converting that money in real-world currency).

Not convinced about the absolutely plain and known nature of VAT? From the European Commission website (VAT on services page):

Electronically supplied services, supplied by third country established
suppliers to non-taxable persons established in the EU, will be taxable
at the place where the customer resides or has a permanent address.
Example: If a Swedish resident makes use of a Japanese on line library
as a private person, Swedish VAT will have to be paid on the amount the
Japanese company charges.

For a serious discussion about the subject of virtual world taxation, see here and here.