UNESCO WORLD BOOK CAPITAL CITY TO BE APPOINTED ON 22 JUNE 2016 – EIBF REITERATES THE NEED OF A FULL RESPECT OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

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On 22 June, Unesco, with the help of an Advisory Committee composed of the IPA, International Publishers Federation and IFLA, the International Federation of Library Associations, will appoint World Book Capital – WBC – 2018.

EIBF (and formerly IBF) was Member of the Selection Committee since 2002 and has taken the decision to step down from its position in the Committee.

“We do feel the need for expressing publicly the reasons for which we cannot support this Prize anymore, at least with the evaluation criteria which are on the table from this year onwards” said Fabian Paagman, EIBF co-President. “EIBF supports the principles outlined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. EIBF is of the firm view that freedom of expression is a fundamental democratic principle which must be respected in all circumstances. It is the backbone of the publishing and bookselling industries “

Added Françoise Dubruille, EIBF Director: “I am saddened to have to step down from the WBC selection process and leave my colleagues from IPA and IFLA.  Until last year, and for 13 years, our three organisations had very fruitful and passionate discussions around WBC applications from all over the world. With the change of rules currently on the table, which makes our committee an advisory one, EIBF feels that it has not been heard, in spite of its repeated messages since June 2015 and that freedom of expression, of publishing and bookselling is not considered a non-negotiable criterion.  For EIBF, the absence of freedom of expression is ipso facto an eliminatory criterion in any WBC application and there is no need to refer to any other form of assessment.”

Books convey culture and culture empowers citizens. Booksellers stand for diversity of expression so that everyone can be properly educated and informed. Once again, the European and International Booksellers Federation would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm its strong belief in and support for freedom of speech, publishing and bookselling.

For further information please contact EIBF Director, Fran Dubruille
+32 475 40 32 34 or fran@europeanbooksellers.eu

BOOKSELLERS AND PUBLISHERS LETTER TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION ABOUT DISAPPEARED PUBLISHERS & BOOKSELLERS

Your Excellency Chief Executive Leung

We, the undersigned free expression advocacy, publishing, and bookselling organizations, write to express our deep concern over the forced disappearances and detentions of four Hong Kong residents and a Chinese-born Swedish national associated with the Mighty Current publishing house. We urge your government to do everything in its power to investigate these cases and demand the release of Cheung Chi-ping, Gui Minhai, Lam Wing-kee, Lee Bo, and Lui Por, who are confirmed to be detained by mainland Chinese police.

 

Sincerely,

PEN American Center
Independent Chinese PEN Center
American Booksellers Association
Association of American Publishers
Authors Guild
European & International Booksellers Federation
Federation of European Publishers
International Publishers Association

You can read the full letter in attachment. 

STATEMENT OF CONCERN ABOUT DISAPPEARANCE OF HONG KONG BOOKSELLERS

The American Booksellers Association (ABA), the Association of American Publishers (AAP), the Authors Guild (AG), the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), and PEN American Center (PEN) wish to express their extreme concern over news reports about the disappearance of five employees of a Hong Kong publishing company, Mighty Current, and its bookstore, the Causeway Bay Bookstore.  According to these reports, four of the employees disappeared in October, including the bookstore manager.  A fifth employee, Lee Bo, was reported missing last week.  Mighty Current is well-known for publishing books critical of the Chinese leadership.  Mighty Current books are sold by the thousands at the Hong Kong airport and other locations, including the company bookstore in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay neighborhood.  They are particularly popular with tourists from mainland China, where the books are banned.

It is widely believed in Hong Kong and abroad that the missing booksellers have been taken into custody by Chinese authorities.  Mr. Lee and several of the other missing men have called their families from China.  Mr. Lee told his wife he is assisting the authorities with an investigation.  The Chinese government has neither confirmed nor denied that the men are in China.  However, Global Times, a Communist Party publication in China, recently published an editorial accusing Mighty Current of “stirring up troubles on the mainland.”

ABA, AAP, AG, EIBF and PEN urge the Chinese government to explain the disappearance of the Hong Kong booksellers.  If they are in custody, we call for their immediate release.  When Great Britain relinquished control of Hong Kong in 1997, China promised to protect freedom of press there for 50 years.  The summary abduction of men who are engaged in the publication and sale of books would be a very serious violation of press freedom and would have a profoundly chilling effect on free speech in Hong Kong.

We also urge the United States government to investigate the circumstances of these disappearances and to assist in the release of the men.

European Commission’s consultation on the regulatory environment for platforms, online intermediaries, data and cloud computing and the collaborative economy – EIBF Contribution

Between 06.05.2015 and 30.12.2015, the European Commission conducted a consultation on the topic “regulatory environment for platforms, online intermediaries, data and cloud computing and the collaborative economy”, Stakeholders were invited to answer a questionnaire, to which the EIBF has contributed an opinion expressing the stance of the booksellers on the preferable improvements on the online regulatory environment.

European Commission’s consultation on geo-blocking and other geographically-based restrictions when shopping and accessing information in the EU – EIBF Contribution

Between the 24th of September and the 28th of December, 2015, the European Commission conducted a public consultation on “Geo-Blocking and Other Geographically-Based Restrictions When Shopping and Accessing Information in the EU”. Since Geo-blocking is a highly important and sensitive area for booksellers, the EIBF has contributed with an opinion on the geographically-based restrictions consumers face when shopping online.

The European Commission’s consultation on modernising VAT for cross-border e-commerce – EIBF Contribution

From 25.09.2015 to 18.12.2015,  the European Commission conducted a public consultation on the modernisation of VAT systems for cross-border e-commerce. Business and representative organisations were invited to contribute to this consultation with an emphasis on those with an expertise in the taxation field. The EIBF together with its members, contributed to the enquiry by expressing the view of booksellers about cross-border e-commerce and the role of VAT modernisation.

EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL BOOKSELLERS EXPRESS THEIR SOLIDARITY TO PARISIAN COLLEAGUES AND POPULATION

EIBF wish to express its solidarity to Parisian colleagues and the French population. Say co-Presidents Kyra Dreher and Fabian Paagman: “ Our thoughts are with all of the Parisians and French people. Booksellers over the world have been horrified by the Paris events and wish to express their absolute solidarity with the French population.”

We specially feel deeply sorrow for the two book publishers savagely killed at the Bataclan and all the people working in this place who died that night while sharing their passion with hundreds of people in the audience.

Booksellers are cultural agents and contribute, in their daily life, to the dissemination of ideas and culture, which is the best possible answer to obscurantism and extremism, and will  keep on with this mission with firmness and serenity.

The unspeakable Paris attacks affect all of us, our values of democracy, tolerance and living together in a multicultural society.

Books convey culture and culture empowers citizens. Booksellers stand for diversity of expression so that everyone can be properly educated and informed.

Freedom of expression and is a fundamental democratic principle which must be respected in all circumstances. It is the backbone of publishing and bookselling and we defend and support it in the strongest terms.

For further information please contact EIBF Director, Fran Dubruille
+32 475 40 32 34 or fran@europeanbooksellers.eu

European Commission’s consultation on further corporate tax transparency – EIBF Contribution

From the 17.06.2015 to the 09.09.2015, the European Commission conducted a public consultation on further corporate tax transparency. All sectors of society were invited to contribute to this consultation with an emphasis on those with an expertise in the taxation field. The EIBF together with its members, contributed to the enquiry by expressing the view of booksellers on corporate tax transparency.

 

The European Commission’s consultation on further corporate tax transparency – EIBF Contribution

Between the 17th of June and the 9th of September, 2015, the European Commission conducted a public consultation on expanding corporate tax transparency in the EU. Citizens, organisations and public authorities had the chance to voice their opinions. The EIBF has contributed to the consultation, expressing the concerns and views of booksellers, emphasising the need for more transparency in business tax reporting on cross-border sales.

Read EIBF’s full contribution in attachment. 

European Commission’s e-commerce consultation – EIBF Contribution

From 12.06.2015 to 03.09.2015 the European Commission conducted a consultation on “contract rules for online purchases of digital content and tangible goods” by sending a questionnaire to various stakeholders concerned by the matter. Together with its members, EIBF contributed to the consultation by expressing the view of booksellers on the evolution of digital products markets. .

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