Were you unable to attend this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair? Fear not! Let EIBF take you through all the highlights, best moments and main events from this year’s edition, so you won’t miss a thing. Keep reading!  

 

Opening ceremony 

The entire EIBF team joined the Opening Ceremony of the 2022 Frankfurt Book Fair to celebrate its inauguration and to welcome this year’s Guest of Honour: Spain. 

 

A rare picture of the EIBF Secretariat all dressed up 

 

Inside the packed auditorium, we were joined by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia from Spain, as well high-profile figures and politicians, such as the President of Germany, Mr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and the Minister-President of Hesse, Mr Boris Rhein. 

Both King Felipe VI and President Steinmeier emphasized that the essence of books has remained unchanged over the years, despite the fast-changing and increasingly digitalised world. The entire book chain, from authors and translators to publishers and booksellers, play a key role in ensuring this love for books remains alive. Without them, access to culture would not be possible. 

Spanish authors Antonio Muñoz Molina and Irene Vallejo also took to the stage, taking us through Spain’s rich literary history and each highlighting two important aspects of this year’s fair: diversity of authors and stories, and the value of translation. 

And with a bang, the 2022 Frankfurt Book Fair was officially open! 

                                                       The 74th edition of the Frankfurt Book Fair is now officially open

                                                                                                               

Day 1: meeting members, partners and new colleagues 

We kicked off our first day at the Fair attending an event from our colleagues at the Federation of European Publishers (FEP), where they presented statistics and data of the book market for 2021. 

FEP President Peter Krauss vom Cleff 

 

Peter Krauss vom Cleff, FEP President, and Enrico Turin, FEP Deputy Director and Economist, announced that book sales experienced an overall growth of 6.5% in sales in 2021, with the highest growth rate seen in Portugal and the Netherlands. Out of all book formats, printed books remained the most popular, with children's books showing particular resilience. 

At the same time, online sales grew especially in Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria and Italy. 

We continued our day meeting with several members, as well as prospective members and ongoing partners. 

EIBF’s Daniel Martin Brennan also introduced our new Freedom of Expression Charter at the International Publishers Association (IPA)’s Freedom to Publish open meeting. More on this later! 

                                                              Daniel presenting the Freedom of Expression Charter 

 

Our first day ended with a long-overdue dinner with EIBF members, ahead of Thursday’s Annual Conference. It was lovely to reconnect with members from all over the world after a few years of (mostly) virtual gatherings. Here are a few pictures of the memorable evening: 

Our Co-Presidents welcoming the attendees 

 

Now we’re ready for Day two! 

 

Day 2: EIBF Annual Conference is back! 

It was an absolute joy to finally be able to gather our members, industry representatives, and booksellers from across Europe and beyond for our annual conference at the Frankfurt Book Fair once again.  

The 2022 Annual Conference was kicked off by Spanish bookseller Enrique Pascual Pons, who took us on a journey through the concept of hybrid bookselling. 

 

Enrique Pascual Pons, Marcial Pons, Spain 

 

We then listened attentively to Katerina Malakate, Aidai Maksatbekova, and Joao Varella, booksellers from Greece, Kyrgyzstan, and Brasil, discuss the thrills, hardships and lessons learned from bookselling in their respective countries. We learned that we have so much in common despite the national borders separating us. The multicultural panel was moderated by Hazel Broadfoot, bookseller herself and President of the UK & Ireland Booksellers Association.   

From left to right: Hazel Broadfoot (Village Books, UK), Katerina Malakate (Booktalks, Greece), Aidai Maksatbekova (IQ Bookstore, Kyrgyzstan), and Joao Varella (Banca Tatui, Brazil)

 

Presently, Jeff Deutsch, Director of Seminary Co-op Bookstore in Chicago and author of In Praise of Good Bookstores, took the stage together with Raluca Selejan, co-founder and co-owner of La Doua Bufnite Bookshop in Romania, who moderated the discussion having previously reviewed his book. You can find her full review here.

Later, Laura Karlsson, Director of the Finnish Booksellers Association Kirjakaupaliitto, took us through recent sustainability initiatives in Finland and Patrick Schneebeli, President of the Swiss LIBER Association, explained how the LIBER project united the Swiss book trade and boosted bookshop sales. 

Just after the morning’s conference, we took the stairs one floor down to attend the Frankfurt Book Fair and FEP’s joint event with Ukranian President Volodomyr Zelensky’s address to the book sector. 

In his speech, Zelensky asked the wider book community to write, publish and distribute books to share knowledge, “because giving knowledge to people is the answer.” 

                                       Ukranian President Volodomyr Zelensky’s address at the Frankfurt Book Fair and FEP joint event

 

Next up was the EIBF’s General Assembly where we presented an overview of EIBF’s policy and communications activities over the past year. The GA was also the moment where EIBF’s new charter on Freedom of Expression was unveiled to members. 

As the fundamental right to freedom of expression is a topic close to many booksellers’ hearts and part of the everyday reality of the book world, the EIBF board and Secretariat wished for some time to develop a document that would help steer EIBF's work and ensure a more proactive response where ncessary.  

Therefore, over the summer, EIBF’s Policy Team, Daniel Martín Brennan and Tora Åsling, together with a committee of dedicated members, produced a charter on Freedom of Expression, which is to guide the association's work in the future. Members were invited to sign the charter at the General Assembly as a gesture of support. 

EIBF’s General Assembly signing the Freedom of Expression Charter 

 

The rest of the day the Secretariat spent the way you do most in Frankfurt: attending meetings and events with members and other relevant sector representatives. 

One of the last points on our Frankfurt agenda was the European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) event. On stage in the Pavilion were EUPL winner Iva Pezuashvili from Georgia and special mentions Jacobo Bergareche from Spain and Gaea Schoeters from Belgium. The three remaining special mentions who couldn’t be with us in person, Sladjana Nina Perkovic from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eugenia Kuznetsova from Ukraine, and Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin from Ireland, had all sent video messages. The event was moderated by FEP Director Anne Bergman. 

                                       From left to right: Jacobo Bergareche, Iva Pezuashvili, Gaea Schoeters, and Anne Bergman

 

And that's all for this year's Frankfurt adventures! Back in Brussels, reminiscing about the eventful Frankfurt days, the EIBF team all agree on one thing: we are so happy we finally had the chance to meet our members in person again and cannot wait for next year!

Freedom of expression, alongside the freedom to publish and sell books is a key a priority for us at the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), and has been since our inception as an organisation representing the interests of the European and international bookselling community. 

It is a human right enshrined in international law, namely in the United  Nations  Universal  Declaration  of  Human  Rights,  the  European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. 

Unfortunately, it is also a right that has been thwarted, restricted and even suppressed over the years, particularly in times of political oppression. EIBF has responded to many of these violations, for instance, condemning the disappearance of author, publisher and bookshop owner Gui Minhai, who is currently imprisoned. 

Nevertheless, more recent events have shown us that the censorship of the written word is still very prevalent, including in Europe, as seen with the banning of LGBTQ+ books in Hungary and bookshop raids in Belarus earlier this year.  

In this context, with the help of EIBF’s active members and inspired by our attendance to the first-ever World Expression Forum (WEXFO) earlier this year, we set ourselves the task to draft an ambitious charter and guiding principles that would help steer our work on freedom of expression and demonstrate our continuous and committed work to defend this fundamental right. 

We were, therefore, very proud to present the Charter to our members after many months of work at the recent Frankfurt Book Fair, one of the world's largest and most important events for the book sector, gathering book sector professionals from all over the world. There, our members had the opportunity to sign the Charter and formally endorse it.

 

At the Frankfurt Book Fair, we also had the opportunity to present the Charter to the international publishing community, specifically at the Interantional Publishers Association (IPA) freedom to publish open meeting. Having worked hand in hand with IPA for many years in our fight against censorship, we recognise their great work on the topic. Now, with our Charter to guide us along the way, we will continue to work together as long as books are censored or challenged in any way.  

 

 

Want to take a look and support our Freedom of Expression Charter? It will be unveiled to the public in the coming weeks, ahead of the Human Rights Day on 10th December, which commemorates the adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Keep your eyes peeled on our website and social channels for the announcement! 

EIBF welcomes the EU’s green light to the long-awaited directive on a minimum corporate tax rate, which will ensure that large multinational corporations, such as Amazon, pay their fair share in taxes.

 

Last night, on December 12th, the 27 EU member states reached an agreement on a 15% minimum corporate tax rate for large multinational corporations, which is expected to include the GAFA (Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple).

For the past decades, the digitalisation of the economy has allowed large multinational companies to strategically avoid paying taxes, for instance by moving their headquarters and profits to low-tax countries, while smaller businesses, including bookshops, have diligently and fairly contributed to their countries’ economies.

To tackle these aggressive tax planning and tax avoidance practices, 137 countries, including all EU countries and the G20, reached an unprecedented agreement in October 2021 on a system of global taxation based on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) two-pillar plan. This was followed by the European Commission's proposal in December 2021 for a Directive to ensure a minimum effective tax rate for large multinational companies, i.e., corporations present in multiple countries with an annual turnover of at least €750 million. The directive stipulates that the profits of these corporations will be taxed at a minimum rate of 15%.

EIBF has followed the developments closely and contributed to the relevant consultations, reminding policymakers of the abusive tax practices of large multinationals, which have often come at the expense of SMEs’ fair and continuous contributions. Yesterday’s agreement marks the end of a long and tedious negotiation process between member states, and we are pleased to see it is in line with our general ambition to strive for a fair level playing field on all areas where booksellers meet, as well as compete, with said multinationals.

 

You can find our full statement attached.

In 2021, the French Parliament voted in favour of adopting the Darcos Law, which sets a minimum delivery fee of €3 for all online book purchases under €35. For purchases above €35, books can be shipped from €0.01. The aim of the law is to level the playing field in the French books sector by countering retail giants' aggressive commercial practices of shipping individual books for as little as €0.01.

Prior to the the European Commision's authorisation, they have opened a consultation to hear from relevant actors in the French book sector.

Today, EIBF submitted its contribution to the European Commission's consultation on the French measure, fully supporting the position and arguments laid out by our members, the Syndicat de la librairie française (SLF) and the Syndicat des distributeurs de loisirs culturels (SDLC).

EIBF Co-President Jean-Luc Treutenaere said: "The Darcos Law is supported in France by all booksellers, from the most important chains to the smallest independent stores. We are all united to fight the players who are eager to sell books at a loss in order to gain customers on any other products. This law would lead to fairer competition and is beneficial for the environment. With more than 4000 bookstores and more than 15 000 points of sales, France offers a dense network, making it possible for every person to either buy a book near their home or to collect it for free through click & collect."

SLF President Anne Martelle added: "The Darcos Law is a very important piece of legislation that will hopefuily prevent the damaging practices of the bigger online players. The entire French book chain is a unit on this matter"

You can find our contribution attached, as well as the full consultation on the following link. You can submit your input until midnight on January 16 2023.

EIBF attended Brussels Book Fair’s first seminar on green issues in the book sector, called “the environmentally-conscious book”  

On Thursday 30 March, a half-day seminar on the environmental and social sustainability of books and the book industry was held as part of the program of the Brussels Book Fair, which took place from March 30 to April 2, 2023. This first inter-professional seminar, organized by the Association pour l'écologie du livre (Association for the Sustainability of the Book), brought together speakers from across the sector to spark dialogue on environmental issues in the book sector.   

This afternoon of panels, bringing together professionals from the trade, highlighted many environmental issues in the book sector, such as problems linked to overproduction, the second-hand book market, the theme of bibliodiversity, which is cultural diversity applied to the world of books, and also sustainability trainings in the book world.  

This conference was introduced by Mélanie Mazan, coordinator of the Association pour l'écologie du livre, an association created in 2019 as a response to what it observed as a "disposable book economy", in which overproduction and excessive wastefulness reigned. With the goal of enhancing the book sector’s environmental responsibility, the Association pour l'écologie du livre now advocates a profound transformation of the book ecosystem through interprofessional collaboration, awareness-raising, and training for professionals. 

The first panel covered the topics of overproduction, returns, recycling and pulping, and possible alternatives to remedy these problems, and was moderated by Laura de Heredia from L’Association pour l’écologie du livre. Laura opened the session by recounting figures collected from Syndicat National de l'Édition (the French Publisher’s Association), which states that between 2018 and 2022, 26 thousand tons of books were pulped each year. This soaring figure can be accounted for by several issues in publishing, such as the problems of faulty printing, the difficulty of estimating the quantity of print runs, but also the importance of the cost of storage, which inescapably influences the problem of returns and eventually books being pulped.  

The panelists discussed many alternative solutions, including the possibility of pooling certain purchases for publishers, meaning that they would work with one common printer. Furthermore, an interesting idea to avoid pulping damaged books would be to print additional covers separately and replace only the damaged covers in order to be able to sell the books in new condition. Additionally, the possibility of donating unsold books to NGOs or other aid organizations was raised as another alternative to bring down the number of pulped books. This would only be possible with the author’s agreement and provided that the respective organization does not resell the books. The speakers finally agreed on the pivotal necessity to apply a long-term perspective, by reviewing the supply chain to move away from the economy of scales.  

The conference then continued with a presentation on the relevance of selling used books by French sociologist Vincent Chabault, who conducted a long-term study on this subject in his book Le livre d'occasion : Sociologie d'un commerce en transition. The benefits of second-hand books, such as the fact that they extend the life of a book, were discussed during this round table. For example, Chabult highlighted the disadvantages of this new market, mentioning the carbon footprint of individualized delivery, the potential tendency to accelerate consumption. 

The topic of bibliodiversity was also broached and the importance of diversity and sustainability in the book sector was emphasized. Moreover, the need to value the contribution of smaller voices of the sector was highlighted, as for example Belgian francophone publishing houses in relation to bigger French publishers, and the diversity they bring to the trade by introducing new perspectives and stories.  

Finally, the afternoon ended with a panel on trainings on sustainability issues in the book industry. It focused on how you can train young people in the sustainability issues in the book world and on the need to offer continuous trainings for the already established actors in the book supply chain. 

Overall, this first conference on the theme of book ecology allowed for discussions around fundamental issues to review the ecosystem in the book industry. Professionals in the field were able to discuss the problems they face while also sharing potential solutions. During this enlightening afternoon, we were reminded of the fact that our sector is indeed facing many difficult challenges now and in the years to come as we move towards a greener path. However, we were also reminded that the will and determination that is necessary for the industry to become both socially and environmentally sustainable can already be found on all levels of the book supply chain, and there are many ways in which we can move forward together.  

The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) recognises emerging fiction writers from the European Union and beyond. Engaging the 41 countries participating in the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, the Prize celebrates 41 outstanding new literary talents across a cycle of three years. Spotlighting the creativity and the diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature in the field of fiction, EUPL aims to encourage the circulation of literature within Europe and encourage greater interest in non-national literary works. 

Following a successful 2022 edition which introduced changes to the overall organisation of the Prize, a seven-member European jury made of literary experts with professional influence now awards one overall winner accompanied by five special mentions. This year, the jury is composed of:

• Koukla MacLehose
• Andrey Kourkov
• Imre Barna
• Sheila O'Reilly
• Svetlozar Zhelev
• Henrik Francke
• Sharon Galant

We are pleased to announce the #EUPL2023 winner: 

•  Martina Vidaić, Stjenice (Bedbugs), Publisher: Naklada Ljevak, for Croatia

This year’s five special mentions are, in alphabetical order by country:

• Χάρη Ν. Σπανού (Hari N. Spanou), Φυλάκιο (The Outpost), Publisher: Εκδόσεις Αιγαίον (Aegan Publications), for Cyprus
• Tõnis Tootsen, Ahvide pasteet. Ühe ahvi mälestusi ja mõtteid (Pâté of the Apes: One Primate’s Thoughts and Memories), Publisher: Kaarnakivi Seltsi Kirjastus, for Estonia
• Iida Rauma, Hävitys (Destruction), Publisher: Siltala Publishing, for Finland
• Maud Simonnot, L’heure des oiseaux (The Hour of Birds), Publisher: Editions de l’Observatoire, for France
• Ag Apolloni, Kësulëkuqja, përrallë për të rritur (Red Riding Hood, a fairy tale for adults), Publisher : Bard Books, for Kosovo

 

Thirteen countries participated in EUPL 2023: Armenia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Poland, Sweden. The 13 national nominees were revealed on 7 March 2023, one for each participating country. The authors and their novels were nominated by national entities, knowledgeable about the literary scene in their countries and used to promoting their national literature abroad. 

All nominated authors will be continuously promoted on a European stage, aiming to reach a wider and international audience, as well as connect with readers beyond their national and linguistic borders.

The EUPL is organised by a Consortium of associations comprising the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), with the support of the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.

Mariya Gabriel, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said: “Books are very dear to my heart. This is why I launched the Day of European Authors this year, and today is another beautiful opportunity to celebrate European literature. My warm congratulations go to Martina Vidaić for winning the European Union Prize for Literature in 2023, and to the five authors who have received a mention! Your work is a reflection of the talent and creativity of the European literary scene.  I cannot wait to dive into your books, and I hope that many other readers will do the same.”

Ricardo Franco Levi, FEP President said “The jury has designated the books it sees most likely to “travel” and meet new readership outside of their borders. I wish to congratulate the winner, the shortlisted authors and all the nominees. I hope that all their books will attract translators and publishers across Europe. Having a better understanding of the realities, even fictional, of our fellow Europeans can only help grow our sense of a common destiny.”

Jean Luc Treutenaere, co-President of EIBF, said: “It is a pleasure for me to congratulate the EUPL 2023 winner and special mentions as well as all of this year's nominees. These brilliant emergent authors' works represent the richness of our European culture and the diversity of European contemporary literature. I wish them all a successful literary career and many great books that will fill the shelves of bookshops all around Europe and beyond and that will cross borders and help us understand each other better.”

‘Resilience, Innovation and Sustainability for the Enhancement of Bookselling’, or RISE Bookselling in short, is a three-year, EU co-funded programme organised by EIBF. Since its launch in early 2022, RISE Bookselling has been working to create a real network of international and European booksellers, bringing them closer together while upscaling their resilience by providing them with key tools and insights they can put into practice in their shop.

Through RISE Booksellers Exchange Programme, participants spend a few days at a foreign colleague’s bookshop, learning about national trade specificities and about how their counterparts handle their daily business on the ground. The RISE support programme to attend international/national sectorial events enables booksellers to attend events such as Frankfurt Book Fair or BolognaBookPlus & Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Participants are granted the opportunity to join their colleagues and engage with other professionals and experts from the industry on various important topics within the trade and thus raise visibility of the wider book chain. Through RISE Bookselling activities, new friendships have been formed, new business partnerships established and much knowledge has been exchanged across borders.

But that is not all that RISE Bookselling can offer the bookselling community. The Let’s Talk bookselling podcast series gives booksellers a platform to share best practices and what they do best across their own borders. The podcasts offer listeners new insights into various aspects of the bookselling industry. The ‘Industry Insights’ research papers analyse key issues for the bookselling sector by collecting information from several network members’ countries, thus improving the understanding of important sectorial issues beyond national borders. Moreover, RISE Bookselling also represents and advocates on behalf of the bookselling sector towards policy-makers and the wider public. Following two workshop series on sector specific topics, advocacy campaigns will be launched. The two studies which will be produced as result of the campaigns will be essential assets to mobilise effective support and deliver policy change at sectoral, political and public societal levels.

 

RISE Bookselling Conference 2023

RISE Bookselling Conference 2023 symbolized and embodied the spirit and the objectives of the RISE Bookselling programme: on 19-20 March 2023, the first European and international bookselling conference of its kind to ever take place gathered up to 250 booksellers and key stakeholders of the book sector (authors, publishers, distributors etc.) from all over the world in one place, allowing them to meet, network and discuss priority topics for the book sector. Delegates from over 20 countries enjoyed a packed programme of panels covering a wide range of priority topics for the book trade such as sustainability and green bookselling, inclusion and representation, and innovation in the trade; and brilliant keynotes which inspired, moved and amused the audience. The milestone event reinforced cross-border bookselling, created a sense of belonging to an international community that abides by European values, and facilitated a better understanding among European booksellers.

On our dedicated Conference page, you can watch highlights from our inaugural conference, browse through our photo gallery, read a recap of the conference and download some of the presentations and other workshop materials.

The second edition of the RISE Bookselling Conference will take place in Lisbon, Portugal on 17-18 March 2024.

Keep yourself up to date with RISE Bookselling activities! Sign up to the RISE newsletter and follow RISE Bookselling on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

This last month, EIBF has been fully involved in stakeholder dialogues and consultation meetings with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on two important own-initiative reports for the European bookselling industry: the Future of the European book sector and the implementation of the 2021-2027 Creative Europe Programme. Let’s break them down.

The European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) announced earlier this year its intention to draft an own-initiative report on “The future of the European book sector”. The report, as it is initiated by the Parliament and not by the European Commission, will be non-legislative, meaning that any position taken by the Parliament within the report will not be legally binding or enforceable. However, it will still be approved by the entire European Parliament, therefore reflecting their joint position on the topic and remaining a very helpful initiative which can be used in future lobbying efforts at EU level.

Polish MEP Tomasz Frankowski, from the European People’s Party political group (EPP), was appointed rapporteur responsible for the file. As a leading organisation representing the book sector at European level, EIBF was asked for input to help shape the report.

Following consultation with EIBF membership, EIBF’s Director Julie Belgrado and our Policy Assistant Tora Åsling met Mr Frankowski and his team for an exchange of views. During the meeting, the EIBF team presented the most pressing current and upcoming issues for the European bookselling sector, as well as the main challenges the sector is facing, and the necessary support needed to become more competitive in the years to come. The main points emphasized during the meeting were the following:

• Reading promotion: it is imperative to support reading promotion initiatives, particularly for younger generations. A cultural voucher is an example of a tool introduced in several European countries which has been proven to be a real added value.
• Partnership with libraries and schools: this relationship is vital and relies on local procurement being implemented as much as possible.
• Means to compete: bookshops need the means to be part of the digital market, especially when it comes to the sale of audiobooks. There also should be fair delivery fees for all retailers, no matter their size.
• Ecological transition: Booksellers need to, and want to, be part of the ecological transition. However, they need the means and support to do so. Some changes achievable at retail level, such as green energy transition, require support from different governmental levels.
• Better traceability of books, for ethical and environmental transparency, as well as to allow for more conscious curation.
• Data: there is a current problem with lack of accurate data in the book sector. A European Book Observatory, similar to the European Audiovisual Observatory, would be a game changer to gain better insight into national markets.
• Skills: in the context of the current European Year of Skills 2023-2024, it is important to promote book sector jobs to the younger generation. There are currently very limited trainings in Europe that encompass all necessary aspects to become a bookseller.
• Creative Europe: there should be further opportunities for booksellers under the programme’s ‘culture strand’ and other activities. Furthermore, this report should be put in perspective with the own-initiative report on the implementation of the Creative Europe Programme, explained below.

As for the next steps, the draft report will be published imminently. It is then expected to be discussed and adopted in the CULT Committee around July and voted on by all MEPs during the plenary session of September or October this year.

With regards to the second file, EIBF was invited to speak at the European Parliament to feed into the discussion assessing the "implementation of the Creative Europe programme for 2021-2027". More specifically, this is another CULT report in the European Parliament, led by Italian rapporteur Massimiliano Smeriglio (S&D political group).

EIBF Director, Julie Belgrado, who was accompanied by EIBF Policy Advisor Daniel Martín Brennan highlighted several important points to be made within the scope of the report and the Creative Europe Programme:

1. Our network project, RISE Bookselling, is a project inspired by booksellers, for booksellers, that was developed out of the many lessons learned during the pandemic. It was made possible thanks to the Creative Europe programme and has been a really added value for the sector.

2. Because of its value, the Creative Europe's budget should not decrease in the future.

3. International involvement should be clarified. EIBF has many international members that bring real added value to the network. However, their countries are not members of the Creative Europe Programme. The extent and degree of their involvement should explicitly and clearly defined.

4. As far as the book sector is concerned, this report should be put in perspective with the one introduced above on the Future of the book sector

5. The next generation of the programme should consider developing further opportunities under the ‘books and publishing’ strand, particularly for bookselling. Over the past years, bookshops have been hailed as safe spaces, cultural hubs and even considered essential is some countries. They are key components of a knowledge society and are fully aware that they have their part to play in tackling todays challenges. We firmly believe the untapped potential of the Creative Europe programme ‘books and publishing’ strand is an ideal tool to do just that.

6. On the long-term, the programme considers the integrant part that data plays in today’s economy, and more specifically within the book sector. Mastering their own data allows booksellers to do many things: from better stock management that will ultimately reduce their ecological footprint, to better understanding of readers’ demands.

 

Besides EIBF, many other cultural and creative industries’ representatives from the cinema, music and performance art sectors were also invited to provide their thoughts and experiences as beneficiaries of the Creative Europe Programme. We look forward to seeing our input included in the final report.

EIBF will continue to take part in stakeholder consultations and meetings wherever possible to represent the interests of the European bookselling sector at European political level.