Brussels, 14/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - For the European elections, the federations representing authors, publishers and bookshops have published a joint manifesto to raise the awareness of political leaders and election candidates as to the challenges facing the book trade in Europe. Books are an important basis for culture in Europe, and a preferred channel for debating ideas, for freedom of expression and for individual development. Books are at the centre of the cultural, educational and social challenges, the associations state.
With a €40 billion market in 2013 and representing several hundred thousand direct jobs, books are the top-ranking cultural sector in economic terms. Nine million titles are currently available, including two million digitally, and over 500,000 new publications are added to these every year. In the view of the European associations of authors, publishers and bookshops, one of the big challenges facing the book trade today is the decrease in the practice of reading. The development of book reading should be underpinned by several big principles that need to be promoted across Europe so as to enable books and the book market to develop. Authors, publishers and bookshops therefore call for: (1) the recognition of copyright as a condition for the independence of creators and cultural diversity, for the biggest benefit of the readers; (2) a coherent and fair tax regime, allowing a reduced rate of VAT on all books (whatever their format), forbidding the practice of tax optimisation for certain non-European groups; (3) balanced competition rules on the internet, which guarantee the interoperability of digital offers and promotion of the legal offer; (4) the reaffirmation of the importance of books in education policies. (IL)