The event is organized within the scope of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union
On Thursday, 24 February, book sector experts are coming together for a virtual event, discussing the challenges and opportunities for the industry in the upcoming months. Organised by the French Presidency of the EU Council, the event will consist of the five roundtables, focusing on the future of books and reading in Europe.
The EIBF Co-President Fabian Paagman will participate in a panel spotlighting how to build a Europe of bookshops. The panel’s speakers also include Isabelle Lemarchand, bookseller and president of the Association Internationale des Libraires Francophones, Jesús Trueba (ESP), bookseller and head of technological development of Todos tus libros, e-commerce platform of the Spanish Confederation of Booksellers' Unions and Associations, and Alexandra Geese (GER), Member of the European Parliament from the Green Group. The discussion will be moderated by Nicole Vulser, journalist at Le Monde.
The other conference panels will feature a talk on digital books publishing as part of the preparation for the implementation of the accessibility directive, and a discussion on the freedom of expression in the context of writing, publishing and bringing books to their readers. The remaining roundtables will focus on the topic of translation and multilingualism in relation to Europe’s cultural diversity and on the role of libraries in securing sustainable development.