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POSITION PAPERS - Click here to access Archives15 January 2010 EBF Contribution to the Commission’s Working Document on EU 2020 StrategyClick here to access the paper in pdf format 5 January 2010 EBF contribution to the consultation on Creative Content in the Single Market Click here to access the paper in pdf format 13 November 2009
EBF contribution to the consultation on Europeana Click here to access the paper in pdf format 07 September 2009
EBF intervention at the hearing on Google settlement Click here to access the paper in pdf format December 2008 EBF-FEP Declaration: Green Paper on Copyright in the Knowledge Economy
The European Booksellers Federation (EBF) is a non-for
profit organisation representing booksellers and furthering their
interests in the European Union.
The Federation of European Publishers (FEP) is the
association representing national book and learned journal
publishers’ associations from 26 European Union Member States and
European Economic Area. EBF and FEP would like to raise some common points of interest in relation to the Green Paper on Copyright in the Knowledge Economy.
Moreover, the real goal is to make a majority of the books published accessible / adaptable from the outset so that persons with reading disabilities can have access to all books when these are published and no longer need to access them through institutions serving them, but directly through online retailers or high-street booksellers. If the European Institutions want to “ensure that the benefits of
the information society can be enjoyed by everyone, including people
who are disadvantaged due to limited resources or education, age,
gender, ethnicity, etc. (eInclusion), people with disabilities
(e-Accessibility)”, … (DG Infso website), the points mentioned above
should be taken into The book industry is a key element in a vast chain of activities
and professions, and plays an important role in the economic, social
and cultural development of the European Union and in the world as a
whole. Click here to access the press release in pdf format
EBF statement on the Association of American Publishers, Authors' Guild, Google settlement agreement The European Booksellers Federation, on behalf of its membership, makes the following comments in response to the announcement in the US by the Authors Guild, the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and Google on 28th October 2008 of a settlement that would expand online access to millions of in-copyright books and other written materials in the US from the collections of a number of major U.S. libraries participating in Google Book Search. Google is an undisputed global leader in content provision and
has revolutionised In respect of its latest announcement, and other announcements that have been in support of it, the EBF does wish to express some clear concerns: As such a dominant player in the online world, Google will occupy a unique gateway position that, if abused, will inevitably create a de facto monopoly. A situation where competition is removed from the market place by such a dominant player cannot, ultimately, be good for the consumer and would be highly damaging for cultural diversity in the European Union, if Google was planning to extend its policy in the US to Europe. As pointed out by one of EBF's Members, the agreement is like
a Trojan horse on which Furthermore, this agreement appears to be in direct
contradiction of a statement made to If approved by the US court, the agreement will give Google
the ability to benefit financially Many booksellers in Europe are either active partners in the digital world of books already or are in the process of developing new digital initiatives. While the zeal of embracing the new is adopted by those who supply content, it could result in the short term ‘starvation’ of the traditional bookseller. Consumers would be denied long-term channel choice as well as the customer experience of knowledgeable and interactive bookselling that does so much to build the debut author, the little known poet, and the niche writer. While no bricks and mortar bookseller can afford to ignore the digital world, or indeed not to participate in it, it is the EBF’s belief that the ‘one-stop shop’ direct-to-consumer approach of Google will inevitably result in a bookselling world that is culturally poorer for readers. EBF would like to emphasise that online progress is warmly
welcomed by its membership but believes that this recent agreement,
if ever adopted in the European Union, is not only a breach of the
2005 statement from Google but will also have a hugely damaging
effect on We urge all those who have influence in these matters to resist any similar agreements being introduced into the European Union. Brussels, 12 November 2008 Cliquez ici pour accéder à la version française de cette déclaration. 09 May 2008
EBF reply to the consultation on reduced VAT rates Click here to access the paper in pdf format
28 February 2008
EBF comments to the Commission Communication on Creative Content Online in the Single Market Click here to access the paper in pdf format
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