A new decision allows EU member states to align VAT rates on print books and ebooks if they choose to, instead of a 15% minimum for electronic services.
To Bolster Literacy and Publishing, Romanian Author-Politician Launches a ‘Pact for Books’
Facing what he calls Romania’s ‘extremely shameful record’ in literacy and book culture, Bucharest MP Ovidiu Raeţchi is talking up his ‘Pact for Books’ aimed at boosting book sales.
Brexit Gets Personal: An Illustrator Draws a Picture of Publishing’s Dilemma
The text of acclaimed Illustrator of the Year Axel Scheffler’s comments at the British Book Awards this week makes Brexit more personal for many, as an intensely valued and celebrated publishing artist tells London: ‘It hurts and makes me angry every day.’
At London Book Fair: Brexit’s Concerns and Challenges for Publishing
‘We can’t have books stuck in dockside waiting for customs clearance,’ points out Hodder Education’s Lis Tribe, as publishers work to inform the government of the industry’s Brexit concerns.
The UK’s Publishers Association Launches Toolkit for EU’s Data Protection Regulations
With ‘a lot of anxiety to many businesses as they grapple with the full implications’ of the European Union’s new data privacy regulations, the UK’s Publishers Association launches a special toolkit for its member publishers.
European Booksellers Cheer as Digital Market Talks on Ebooks and Geo-Blocking
Booksellers applaud the decision to exclude sales of ebooks and copyrighted material from the EU’s proposed legislation to curb geo-blocking.
Brexit Viewpoint: Anne Bergman-Tahon, Federation of European Publishers
Anne Bergman-Tahon offers the European perspective on Brexit, addressing the UK’s ‘positive approach to licensing’ and the status of EU workers in the UK.
Brexit Viewpoint: Stephen Lotinga, UK Publishers Association
‘We have to be realistic about the European market,’ says the Publishers Association’s Stephen Lotinga. ‘It’s been declining over the last five years.’
Europe’s Geo-Blocking Debate: Booksellers on the Ropes
On the way to Europe’s Digital Single Market, booksellers are alarmed by proposed EU legislation on geo-blocking and its potential effects on ebook sales.
Industry Notes: BookExpo’s ‘First Amendment Resistance’; EU Research Looks at VAT on Ebooks
Publishers’ responsibilities with ‘controversial authors professing what seem to be unpopular opinion’ at BEA, while Brussels gets some perspective on VAT.