By Siobhan O’Leary

German media giants Bertelsmann and Holtzbrinck are teaming up to create an online direct to consumer e-book distribution platform focused on German-language e-books from their own programs, as well as from third parties. According to The Bookseller, the partners have not yet announced a launch date but have submitted paperwork to the European Commission in Brussels for approval. It remains to be seen what sort of impact this partnership will have on Libreka, the platform set up by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, but it could very well throw a wrench into the association’s attempt to create a unified e-book marketplace.