2023/2053(INI) The future of the European book sector
Lead committee dossier:
Progress: Procedure completed
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | CULT |
FRANKOWSKI Tomasz ( EPP)
|
SMERIGLIO Massimiliano ( S&D),
JOVEVA Irena ( Renew),
RIBA I GINER Diana ( Verts/ALE),
GRISET Catherine ( ID),
ROOKEN Rob ( ECR),
MAUREL Emmanuel ( GUE/NGL)
|
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54
Legal Basis:
RoP 54Events
2023/09/14
EP - Text adopted by Parliament, single reading
Documents
2023/09/14
EP - Decision by Parliament
Documents
2023/09/14
EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2023/09/13
EP - Debate in Parliament
Documents
2023/07/31
EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details
The Committee on Culture and Education adopted an own-initiative report by Tomasz FRANKOWSKI (EPP, PL) on the future of the European book sector.
Books play an essential role in our societies, as an invaluable source of knowledge, education, culture, information and entertainment and a vital means of preserving and disseminating the EU’s values, cultural and linguistic diversity and cultural heritage. The European book sector is one of the largest cultural and creative industries in Europe, with around 600 000 titles published annually, and the overall value chain is estimated to employ more than half a million people in the EU.
The societal importance of access to books
The report called on all Member States to recognise books as essential goods and take measures at national level to further promote reading from an early age . It stressed the value of books as tools for promoting diversity and the inclusion of groups at risk of marginalisation in society, in particular people lacking digital skills, people with disabilities and minorities.
Members called on Member States, in this regard, to implement the European Accessibility Act and to take measures to ensure that books are available in accessible formats for people with disabilities . They recalled the need to respect the derogations granted by the European Accessibility Act, particularly for small and micro-publishers, and to ensure that the requirement to make e-books accessible does not result in a diminished range of books on offer on the market.
Supporting and promoting better circulation of European books
The report called for a budget increase for the Creative Europe programme for 2028-2034, in particular by dedicating more funds to the book sector and support to the translation of European non-fiction books. In this regard, Horizon Europe should also be extended to book sector.
Member States are urged to promote diverse works of significant cultural and societal value by increasing the acquisition budget of libraries so that they can expand the range of their books and collections, support local bookshops and safeguard the investment capacity of publishers.
Members stressed the need to support the creation and translation of European books, in particular by enhancing public funding at national and European level so as to improve the circulation, visibility and diversity of translated books. They underlined the importance of mobility and exchanges for authors and translators in order to facilitate their creative work.
Members stressed the need to support the translation of European non-fiction books , particularly via the Creative Europe programme, which does not currently allow for this;
Members support the further promotion and wider outreach of the EUPL in the Member States, including through the creation of a category for European children’s books.
Towards an inclusive reading culture
Members called for more initiatives to promote reading in the Member States, such as the introduction of ‘cultural vouchers’ , particularly for young people and marginalised groups. They called for more support for children’s books in particular, which should be promoted by establishing a ‘first book programme’ , or similar initiatives at national level to encourage reading.
Underlining the importance of early childhood reading, particularly of printed books, the report stressed the role of school libraries and trained librarians in providing guidance, facilitating access to knowledge and fostering reading habits.
Member States are called on to establish a network of ‘reading ambassadors’ , consisting of respected and influential role models who would share their passion and enthusiasm in order to promote reading. For its part, the Commission should create a label for independent bookshops in the EU in order to boost the visibility of local bookshops and promote the diversity of European books.
Members welcomed the various initiatives to support Ukraine since the beginning of the war, and in particular those aimed at ensuring children’s access to books, facilitating the integration of refugees and protecting Ukrainian culture. They called on the Commission to ensure that sufficient funding continues to support the Ukrainian book sector, including artists and authors, for the duration of the war and the reconstruction of the country.
Challenges for the future growth of the book sector
Members called on the Commission and the Member States to support the sector in its green transition , in particular through financial incentives, research and collaboration between all actors in the supply chain, including on the use of raw materials, sustainable packaging and transport needed for the production and distribution of printed books.
The Commission and the Member States are called on to monitor paper and ink production and to support the development of the industrial capacities of the European book sector in order to reduce carbon emissions by printing books in Europe.
The report welcomed the sector’s efforts to produce printed books in a greener and more sustainable manner through the use of certified and recycled paper. It called on the Commission to create a ‘Printed in Europe’ label .
Acknowledging the use in the sector of artificial intelligence (AI), Members stressed the importance of transparency related to AI training, including data collections and their sources. They encouraged the Commission to: (i) support training for those involved in the book sector to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to adapt successfully to changes related to AI; (ii) support research and innovation projects on the use of AI in order to enhance the efficiency of the sector, notably with regard to environmental sustainability and accessibility.
The report called for books to be zero-rated for VAT in the Member States, irrespective of their format or how they are accessed, in order to support the knowledge economy, encourage reading and promote its lifelong benefits. Members called for the interoperability of e-books across devices, as consumers should be able to acquire their e-books from any supplier, regardless of their e-reading device, and to access, read, store and transfer any e-book in any format.
Documents
2023/07/18
EP - Vote in committee
2023/06/06
EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2023/05/08
EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2023/04/20
EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2023/01/24
EP - FRANKOWSKI Tomasz (EPP) appointed as rapporteur in CULT
Documents
- Text adopted by Parliament, single reading: T9-0329/2023
- Decision by Parliament: T9-0329/2023
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Committee report tabled for plenary: A9-0257/2023
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE749.259
- Committee draft report: PE746.972
- Committee draft report: PE746.972
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE749.259
- Text adopted by Parliament, single reading: T9-0329/2023
Activities
- Roberts ZĪLE
Plenary Speeches (2)
- Tomasz FRANKOWSKI
Plenary Speeches (2)
- Stanislav POLČÁK
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Massimiliano SMERIGLIO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Sandra PEREIRA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Irena JOVEVA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Diana RIBA I GINER
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Ibán GARCÍA DEL BLANCO
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Chiara GEMMA
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Vlad-Marius BOTOŞ
Plenary Speeches (1)
- Elżbieta KRUK
Plenary Speeches (1)
Votes
L’avenir du secteur européen du livre - A9-0257/2023 - Tomasz Frankowski - Proposition de résolution #
2023/09/14 Outcome: +: 513, -: 11, 0: 8
PPE
The Left
NI| Amendments | Dossier |
| 157 |
2023/2053(INI)
2023/06/06
CULT
157 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 16 a (new) – Having regard to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the entire book sector value chain relies on the balance between the various actors, such as authors, publishers,
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 b (new) 9b. Underlines the positive role taken by influencers to promote books on social media in an innovative way, thus fostering reading and European culture among younger generations;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Calls for more initiatives to promote reading in the Member States, such as the introduction of ‘cultural vouchers’ that could facilitate the purchase of books so as to encourage the acquisition of the great works of European literature;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Calls for more initiatives to promote reading in the Member States, such as the introduction of ‘cultural vouchers’, especially for young people and marginalised groups, that could facilitate the purchase of books;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Calls on the Member States to support measures encouraging children to build their personal library, recognising the exposure to books as an integral part of social practices that foster long-term cognitive competencies;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Calls for more support for certain literary genres and for children’s books, in particular, to be promoted by establishing a ‘first book programme’ or similar initiatives to encourage reading at national level; calls also for support for classic works, the essence of our European civilisation;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Calls for more support for certain
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Calls for more support for
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Welcomes the Commission’s launch of the Day of European Authors to encourage book reading among the younger generations and supports the continuation of this initiative in the coming years and calls on the Commission to actively involve the European Parliament in the process;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Welcomes the Commission’s launch of the first edition of the Day of European Authors to encourage book reading among the younger generations and supports the strengthening and the continuation of this initiative in the coming years;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Encourages the Commission to guarantee a long-lasting legacy of the Day of European Authors and other similar initiatives and calls to set up clear objectives and measurable indicators to better evaluate their impact;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the entire book sector value chain relies on the balance between the various actors, such as authors,
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Calls on the Member States to
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Underlines the social role of libraries as places where citizens meet with authors and exchange views, in particular in small towns and less developed regions;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Calls on the Commission to promote authors, creators and publishing houses from across the Union by actively integrated language diversity in its actions;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Calls upon the creation of an European Library platform available across the Union with content from all Member States;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 b (new) 14b. Calls for the creation of a European network of national libraries design to support exchanges of best practices and the development of common projects with the support of the Commission;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15.
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Deplores the growing attacks against bookstores and libraries, as well as the increasing censorship of inclusive books; Stresses the role of bookstores and libraries as safe and welcoming spaces, where neither censorship nor any violent acts should be tolerated;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Calls on the Commission to promote joint and coordinated initiatives between the book sector and the areas of education and social welfare at European level, as well as in the individual Member States;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Underlines the positive role of book fairs to promote reading and authors, foster the circulation of European books and share good practices within the sector;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 b (new) 15b. Deplores the growing abuse and attacks against bookshops and libraries, as well as the increasing censorship of inclusive books; Underlines the role of bookshops and libraries as safe and welcoming spaces, where neither censorship nor violent acts should be tolerated;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas authors are the backbone of the sector and play a vital role in society’s development;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 c (new) 15c. Notes with concern the increasing censorship trends worldwide, and the work of a growing number of advocacy organisations that have made demanding censorship of certain books and ideas in schools part of their mission; condemns legislation to restrict the teaching or presence of certain books or concepts related especially on those from historically marginalised backgrounds such as the LGTBIQ+ community;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Welcomes the various initiatives to support Ukraine since the beginning of the war, and particularly those to ensure that children have access to books and to facilitate the integration of refugees and the protection of Ukrainian culture; Calls for similar initiatives to be promoted in other conflict contexts;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Welcomes the various initiatives to
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Stresses the importance of accessibility to writing and supporting writing as high priorities; Recalls that freedom of expression in the book sector starts with the protection of freedom of expression of the individual writer, with access to opportunities of creation for writers of all financial classes, origins, genders, religions, and languages, and with a legal, social and appreciating framework that allows writers to work independently and under artistic freedom;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Emphasises the prevailing paper- based nature of the book industry and calls on the Commission to take into due account this specificity in the design and implementation of green transition policies to prevent negative impacts and to devise specific support measures to accompany the book sector in its transition towards a more sustainable model;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that sufficient funding continues to support the Ukrainian book sector, including artists and authors for the duration of the war and the reconstruction of the country;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 b (new) 16b. Acknowledges that libraries are curated, public, safe spaces where people of all kinds of backgrounds meet and that function as centers from which reading and cultural activity is energised; Stresses the importance of encouraging cooperation among public libraries all over Europe as an opportunity to build culture of solidarity between individuals and communities, across differences, borders and nationalities;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 b (new) 16b. Underlines the role taken by the Creative Europe Programme to fund some of these projects, such as the Tales of EUkraine initiative;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Calls on the Member States to support the sector
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E a (new) Ea. whereas authors are the creative source of all books;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) 17b. Calls on the Commission to create a ‘Printed in Europe’ label;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18.
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Encourages the Commission and Member States to promote the acceleration of the transformation of the publishing sector by fostering policies of collaboration between the actors involved in the process including authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers; Calls to move towards a publishing process based on environmentally-friendly criteria following principles of proximity and sustainability, minimising and communicating the environmental impacts of publications;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Encourages the Member States to further support the green transition of the book sector through financial incentives or other measures, for the whole supply chain, including the usage of raw materials, sustainable packaging and transport needed for the production and distribution of printed books;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Calls on the Commission to support print-on-demand programmes that make it possible to legally republish books that are out of print and not scheduled to be reprinted;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) 18b. Calls on the Member States to exercise greater vigilance over paper and ink production capacities, and to explore providing support to this link in the book chain;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) 18b. Calls on the Member States, together with the stakeholders, to create plans for disposal of excess and defective book copies as a part of the sectors’ green transition;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 c (new) 18c. Calls on the Commission to establish clear guidelines on applying the Deforestation Regulation, taking into account the specific characteristics of the book sector and the enormous complexity of its value chain so as to ensure that the due diligence obligations of the various publishing actors are clear while also remaining proportionate and feasible;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 d (new) 18d. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the development of industrial capacities in Europe (paper and ink production and printing houses) so that books for young people and children can be printed here and thus reduce their carbon footprint;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Acknowledges the potential
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E b (new) Eb. whereas publishers play an essential role in the book value chain, as the link between authors and their potential readers and independent businesses are essential with regard to freedom of expression allowing a multitude of voices to be heard and views to be aired;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Acknowledges the potential
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 a (new) 19a. Underlines the risks presented by Generative Artificial Intelligence for the book market, including that number of training datasets have been shown to include illegally copied books and that AI- generated books may flood the market and lead to unfair competition with authors whose styles are copied;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 a (new) 19a. Encourages the Member States and the Commission to impulse training policies for actors such as authors, translators and publishers so they can be equipped with the knowledge and skills to adapt successfully to the transformations of the sector as a consequence of the artificial intelligence (AI);
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 a (new) 19a. Calls on the Commission to support research and innovation projects on the use of AI, in order to enhance the efficiency of the sector, notably with regard to environmental sustainability and accessibility for instance through Horizon Europe;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 b (new) 19b. Stresses the importance of transparency regarding the training data, including regarding the works that have been collected and from which sources, and use of Generative Artificial Intelligence;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Calls on the Commission to support national initiatives on data sharing and standardisation, and to collect data on the European book sector as a whole, so as to
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Calls on the Commission to create a database of published books that is easily accessible to all and that contains bibliographic data (title and elements of the title, authors, role of the author, biography, language of the text, languages in translation, reading age, type of book, etc.), ISBN, availability, price and marketing data (excerpt, front cover, back cover, blurb, table of contents, etc.);
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Underlines the importance of collecting data from publishers in order to display the origins of all parts of the book through the entire production chain, including information on paper certification and place of production;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Stresses the importance of having up to date and comparable data on reading habits and literacy competences, especially for children; Recalls Eurostat has not updated its data on reading habits since 2016;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Stresses that there are statutory or contractual retail price maintenance schemes for books and similar products in many EU Member States, and calls for those schemes to continue to be recognised and safeguarded as an instrument of Member States' cultural policies;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E b (new) Eb. whereas the vast majority of European publishers are SMEs or even microenterprises;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Stresses the need for fair competition in the book market in order to guarantee consumer choice and cultural diversity; underlines the unfair practices by certain dominant online players that abuse
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Recalls the decisive role played by the charges consumers pay for the delivery of books they buy online and the importance of fair competition in the market, particularly between independent bookshops and online sales platforms; highlights the anticompetitive practices of some actors by making physical delivery almost free in order to attract consumers; welcomes the initiatives taken by some Member States to regulate delivery charges and calls on the Commission to support them;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Calls on the Commission to support national initiatives that help protect SMEs, micro-enterprises and independent structures in the book sector from unfair competition from the large platforms;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 a (new) 23a. Highlights the importance of national legislative measures aimed at putting a framework around fixed book price systems in light of the development of online sales;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 a (new) 24a. Calls on the Member States to put in place transparency measures on ownership concentration of publishing houses, which would help safeguard pluralism and freedom of expression, along with helping readers make informed decisions;
Amendment 155 #
25a. Calls for an initiative designed to support authors and the book sector to adapt to the digital transformation and increase the revenue performances in a new digital age by offering specific and accessible training, including through EU funding;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 b (new) 25b. Urges the Commission to work closely with the Member States in stimulating reading and increasing literacy levels across the Union;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 c (new) 25c. Stresses the need to support more libraries and reading rooms across the Union in order to become spaces that can encourage people to read;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E c (new) Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E c (new) Ec. whereas bookshops and libraries are the focal point for readership development and reading promotion, whilst contributing to social and digital inclusiveness;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas the ability of the European book sector to provide the public with a wide range of books relies partially on an effective copyright and respected authors' rights framework that allows each part of the value chain to remunerate
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F a (new) Fa. whereas on 15 February 2023, the Commission decided to refer 11 Member States to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to notify the Commission of transposition measures under two Directives with respect to copyright;
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 19 a (new) – Having regard to the Council Resolution of 12 February 2001 on the application of national fixed book-price systems,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G G. whereas the book sector plays an essential role in fostering freedom of expression, which can only be exercised by ensuring freedom, independence, diversity and editorial responsibility within the authorship and the publishing industry;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G G. whereas the book sector plays an essential role in fostering freedom of expression, which can only be exercised by ensuring freedom, independence, editorial diversity
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G a (new) Ga. whereas the book sector also has a role to play in supporting the green and digital transitions of the EU, for instance through the promotion of e-books and audiobooks, the use of environmentally sustainable materials, processes in the production of printed books, and the adoption of digital technologies and AI in the creation and distribution of books;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G a (new) Ga. whereas the governments of some Member States have exerted influence and regulatory pressure on the book sector, which negatively impacts on freedom of expression and conflicts with EU values;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Recital G a (new) Ga. whereas self-censorship of writers is a worrying phenomenon that has a great impact on the freedom of expression, variety of content and cultural diversity;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H H. whereas printed books, e-books and audiobooks represent different options available on the market nowadays and complement each other
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H a (new) Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H a (new) Ha. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the market share of electronic formats, particularly audiobooks, yet many readers returned to paper formats after the lockdowns ended;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H a (new) Ha. whereas readers, including young ones have shown a continued preference to read printed books;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Recital H b (new) Hb. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic had a considerable impact on the book sector leading, however, to uneven effects through Europe; whereas within each country, the impact of the pandemic has been quite diverse across several domains, such as publishing sectors, trade channels, players of different sizes, and types of books; whereas nevertheless, where the sector has been able to best adapt to the challenges raised by the pandemic, adequate and targeted support from public authorities has proved essential;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas books and their authors play an essential role in our societies, as an invaluable source of knowledge, education, culture, information and entertainment and a vital means of preserving and disseminating the EU’s values, cultural and linguistic diversity and cultural heritage;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I I. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the rise in costs for the sector, inflation and the paper crisis have posed significant challenges to the book sector
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I I. whereas the
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Recital I a (new) Ia. whereas libraries are gateways to knowledge and culture and play a key role in society, especially in local communities; whereas the relevance of libraries is experienced by community members by providing access to information and resources, supporting literacy, promoting lifelong learning and serving as gathering spaces;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Recital J a (new) Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K K.
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K K. whereas
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K a (new) Ka. whereas Brexit has significantly affected the European book market, namely in English-speaking Member States such as Ireland, that heavily relies on the UK’s book market; whereas Brexit has an immense influence on the book sectors’ supply chain by increasing the prices of books and shipment and customs costs, while disrupting the imports of books printed in continental Europe and exports to the EU Member States and other countries, such as the US or Australia, thus negatively affecting the dissemination of European content;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K a (new) Ka. whereas the availability of digital books offers an opportunity to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, however this requires adequate investments in the production of different formats and the development of relevant skills;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K a (new) Ka. given the difficulties posed by shortages of the paper and ink required for producing works;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K a (new) Ka. whereas authors' collective bargaining is key to ensure transparency of the use of the authors’ works;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas the book sector has been suffering from a steady decline in reading, especially in the recent years when the use of modern technologies like social media, digital platforms and apps has replaced reading for pleasure as a leisure time activity;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K b (new) Kb. whereas the diversity of sources of literature and knowledge is fundamental to the European book sector, and it encompasses, among others, the presence of women and other minorities in the value chain, the creation in a variety of genres, as well as works on lesser spoken and printed languages, and all of them are crucial to protect European cultural and linguistic diversity;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K b (new) Kb. whereas Brexit has a strong impact on skills in the publishing sector by reducing the student exchange between the UK, Ireland and other European countries in the highly-regarded publishing programmes, thus making it more difficult to develop much-needed skills and limiting the opportunities of young Europeans interested in the sector;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K b (new) Kb. whereas the lack of interoperability between e-book formats reinforces the position of dominant market players, whilst restricting consumer choice and protection;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K b (new) Kb. whereas almost all books for children and young people are printed in Asia;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K c (new) Kc. whereas price cap measures, such as the single book price in some Member States, have helped maintain considerable diversity in the value chain, plentiful supply, editorial pluralism and a local network of independent booksellers;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution Recital K d (new) Kd. whereas the Deforestation Regulation will apply to the books value chain, given the essential role played by paper mills and printing houses in collecting data on sources of wood, and given that the paper required to produce a single book contains numerous different sources of wood, it will be impossible to retrace the sources of wood after it has been made into paper;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Calls on the Member States to recognise books as essential goods and take measures at national level, such as distributing books to schools for free and organising workshops on books, to further promote reading from an early age;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Calls on the Member States to recognise printed books as essential goods and take measures at national level to further promote reading from an early age;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Calls on
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Underlines the benefits of promoting reading aloud in early childhood as a crucial tool for developing literacy skills;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas books, in particular printed books, also play a particularly important role in a person’s life from a very young age, by contributing to children’s cognitive, emotional and social development;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Notes the increase in screen time, in particular for the younger generations, and therefore stresses the importance of the promotion of reading on paper for young children as an irreplaceable tool for development by contributing to children’s cognitive, emotional, and social development;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses the value of books as tools for the inclusion of groups at risk of marginalisation, in particular people lacking digital skills and persons with disabilities and calls on the Member States to take measures to ensure that books are affordable for all, particularly for vulnerable populations facing rising costs;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses the value of books as tools
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses the value of books as tools for the inclusion of groups at risk of marginalisation, in particular people lacking digital skills, minorities and persons with disabilities;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Underlines the need to ensure a balance in the book ecosystem by fulfilling the specific roles of the various actors of the value chain, such as authors, publishers, printers, distributors, translators, booksellers and libraries;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Member States, in this regard, to implement the European Accessibility Act17 as soon as possible and take measures to ensure that books are available in accessible formats for persons with disabilities, in the interests of cultural, social and professional inclusion; Recalls that the European Accessibility Act goes hand-in-hand with the Marrakesh Treaty, which has been transposed into European legislation through the Marrakesh Directive and Regulation; Emphasises that the Marrakesh Treaty and the European Accessibility Act are complementary tools that aim to improve the access of persons with disabilities to published works, both physically and digitally, on equal basis with others; _________________ 17 Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Underlines that due to the large number of titles available on the market and the technical challenges related to accessibility, not all e-books will be accessible by 2025; calls therefore on the Member States to ensure that adequate resources are made available to meet high costs and to ensure that the requirement to make e-books accessible does not result in a diminished offer on the market;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Regrets the fact that the Commission’s current interpretation of the European Accessibility Act could force e-books with limited readers to be removed from the market or even never be published as an e-book; calls on the Member States and the Commission to ensure that the accessibility requirements does not result in a diminished offer of e- books;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Recalls that the European Accessibility Act recognises that some ebooks might not be made accessible by publishers, where the process is disproportionately burdensome, the result would fundamentally alter the work, or when the publishing houses are micro- enterprises;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Stresses that accessibility requirements will create additional costs for publishers; regrets that these additional costs can constitute a disproportionate burden, especially for small or micro publishers, operating within smaller language areas; calls on the Member States to support publishers with the necessary resources to ensure the broadest accessibility of e-books possible;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas the European book sector is rich and diverse and one of the largest culture industries in Europe, with around 600 000 titles published annually, and the overall value chain is estimated to employ more than half a million people in the EU;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Underlines that the efforts from publishers to make their e-books accessible must be reflected by the avoidance of duplication and unfair competition from authorised entities working under the Marrakesh EU legislation i.e. Directive (EU) 2017/1564 and Regulation (EU) 2017/1563;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Emphasises the need for publishers to be able to derogate from the European Accessibility Act to ensure the broadest possible market for e-books for the benefit of all EU citizens; underlines that the European Accessibility Act foresees a number of derogations intended to apply to publishers; notes that these include disproportionate burdens, including making the whole back catalogue accessible, and derogations for micro-enterprises;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Underlines that while accessibility obligations apply to the entire book value chain, the final retailer should not be liable for the accessibility of the books they sell, as this could prevent books that benefit from derogations, from being sold;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Calls on the Member States to provide adequate financial and structural support to the sector, in particular to SMEs, while financing research and innovation dedicated to accessibility and to provide support to SMEs and micro-enterprises in the book sector, which are particularly affected by economic challenges and require support to innovate and adapt;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Calls on the Member States to provide adequate financial and structural support to the sector, in particular to SMEs, while financing research and innovation dedicated to increase accessibility;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls on the Commission, the Member States and the sector to work together to connect the efforts in fighting disinformation in the book sector by developing a standard for scientific books and a warning label or a disclaimer for books that are supposedly of a scientific nature, such as self-help, personal development, motivational, and financial advice books;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote cultural diversity by setting up specific programs aimed at protecting and promoting creation, dissemination, translation, and publishing production in Europe's regional and minority languages;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Invites the Commission in its mid- term review of the Creative Europe programme 2021-2027 to introduce measurable goals on how funding is used to improve the accessibility of books for persons with disabilities;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Encourages the Member States to develop an integrated policy for the promotion of literacy practices and competences, such as National Reading Plans, involving local authorities, culture, science, technology, and educational policies; stresses the importance of such plans to promote reading habits, writing, and multiple literacies, namely, cultural, scientific and digital, addressed to all population segments in an inclusive manner;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Highlights that freedom of expression and disinformation often collide, and therefore it is hard to limit one without the other, which could be seen as censorship; points out the need to develop a system or a mechanism for safeguarding the accuracy and integrity of information in books;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas the book sector, like other sectors, is affected by geopolitical and economic changes, and therefore requires resilience and flexibility to adapt to these changes;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 c (new) 4c. Stresses the importance of school libraries as places playing a significant role in providing access to knowledge, fostering reading habits, constructing safe spaces for people to share and socialise, and providing valuable opportunities for literacy development; underlines the importance of school librarians and their role providing guidance to students and therefore the need for their appropriate training;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 c (new) 4c. Underlines the duty of public cultural institutions to support the publication and the promotion of diverse titles that carry significant cultural or societal value, but may not necessarily count on commercial success;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution Subheading 2 Supporting authorship and promoting better circulation of European books within Europe and beyond
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase the budget for the Creative Europe programme for 2028- 2034, in particular by dedicating more funds to the book sector, and to expand support for the sector through the Horizon Europe programme for 2028-2034
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase the budget for the Creative Europe programme for 2028- 2034, in particular by dedicating more funds to the book sector, and to expand support for the sector through the Horizon Europe programme for 2028-2034 and calls on the Member States to support the book sector in adopting digital technologies and AI, which can contribute to the green transition by reducing the need for physical materials and transport;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase the budget for the Creative Europe programme for 2028- 2034, in particular by dedicating more funds to the book sector, especially with broader programmes for writers, and to expand support for the sector through the Horizon Europe programme for 2028- 2034;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase the contribution of funds to the book sector in the budget for the Creative Europe programme for 2028-
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Encourages the establishment of an EU residency programme for writers, creators, and translators, aimed to help to showcase their work, integrate among the European community of authors and translators and gain experience through the exchange;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Urges the Member States to foster cultural diversity by increasing the acquisition budget of libraries, so that they can further expand the range of books that they offer, ensuring their freedom to build collections that respond to communities’ needs according to professional judgement alone, that their ability to serve their users cannot be undermined by contracts and digital locks, and that they are protected from public and private efforts to censor books, including for children, and supporting local bookshops;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Urges the Member States to foster cultural diversity by increasing the acquisition budget of libraries, so that they can further expand the range of books that they offer,
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas European publishers that are SMEs or even microenterprises play a crucial role in guaranteeing cultural diversity in publishing;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Urges the Member States to foster
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Urges the Member States to foster cultural diversity by increasing the acquisition budget of libraries, so that they can further expand the range of printed books that they offer, and supporting local bookshops;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on the Member States to devote a specific allocation of European structural funds to building libraries in the areas of European countries that have none;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Stresses the need to support the translation of European books, in particular by enhancing public funding at both national and European levels so as to improve the circulation, visibility and diversity of translated books, including in ‘lesser-used’ languages; calls on the European Commission and Member States to ensure that ‘lesser- used’ language countries receive sufficient funds to promote its literary work outside their respective country, especially taking into account countries with various linguistic groups; notes that books and all literary works should be available in all European languages because it is crucial for the education of our citizens, as well as the safeguarding and promotion of European cultural and linguistic diversity;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Stresses the need to support the translation of European books, in particular by enhancing public funding at both national and European levels so as to improve the circulation, visibility and diversity of translated books; calls on the Commission and the Member States to take seriously the threat of ‘sensitivity readers’, an American phenomenon that seeks to impoverish literature through a political and ideological translation of cultural works;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Stresses the need to support the translation of European books, in particular by enhancing public funding at both national and European levels so as to
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Stresses the need to support the translation of European books, in particular by enhancing public funding at both national and European levels so as to improve the circulation, visibility and diversity of translated books and support translators in the face of the development of artificial intelligence technologies;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Stresses the need to support the creation and translation of European books, in particular by enhancing public funding at both national and European levels so as to improve the circulation, visibility and diversity of translated books;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Stresses the need to support the translation of European non-fiction books, particularly via Creative Europe, which does not currently allow for this; calls for more initiatives aimed at supporting the translation of books in the Member States in the face of the linguistic and cultural hegemony of English;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas the entire book sector value chain relies on the balance between
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Stresses the need to support the translation of European non-fiction books, particularly via the Creative Europe programme, which does not currently allow for this;
Amendment 91 #
8a. Underlines the importance of the mobility and exchanges between authors in order to facilitate their creative work and improve their opportunities to gain new professional experiences abroad;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 b (new) 8b. Welcomes the new mobility action Culture Moves Europe in the frame of the Creative Europe Programme offering mobility grants to artists and cultural professionals, in particular for literary translators;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 c (new) Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 d (new) 8d. Recalls that the ability of the book sector to maintain a diverse network of booksellers and innovation-driven market relies on proper education and training that allows people to pursue a career in the book industry;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 e (new) 8e. Underlines that 2023 has been declared the European Year of Skills and calls on the Member States in this regard to support the education and training programs dedicated to the various actors of the book sector;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Emphasises the importance of the EU Prize for Literature, which highlights the creativity and diversity of contemporary EU fiction, promotes the circulation of EU literary works and encourages greater interest in EU non- national literary works; Calls to ensure a wider outreach of the Prize;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Calls for the EU Prize for Literature to foster linguistic diversity by promoting particularly works in European regional and minority languages;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Supports further promotion of the EULP in the Member States, including via the creation of an EU category for European children’s books;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 b (new) 9b. Notes that although women are the backbone of the book sector as authors, publishing employees and readers, they continue to be under-represented in senior executive positions within publishing industry; stresses that data has shown that the publishing industry suffers from a massive diversity problem in terms of race, sexual orientation, and disability1a; _________________ 1a Women in the gentleman’s career of publishing [Princeton University Press] https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/women- in-the-gentlemans-career-of-publishing Women in publishing: addressing the glass ceiling [Genpol thinktank] https://gen-pol.org/2018/01/women-in- publishing-addressing-the-glass-ceiling/
source: 749.259
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History
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