European Commission | The Bookseller

EC urged to act over e-book 'ecosystems'

Publication Date: Fri, 17/05/2013 - 09:51

Booksellers from across Europe have urged European Commission representatives to act over the use of closed e-book systems by major market players such as Apple and Amazon.

At the European and International Booksellers Federation conference in Brussels yesterday (16th May), industry members from different countries urged the...

amazon | Apple | Benedicte Page | digital | DRM | European and International Booksellers Federation | European Commission | Retail
Penguin/Random merger approved

Publication Date: Mon, 08/04/2013 - 09:30

The merger between Penguin and Random House has been approved by the EU.

The European Commission announced on Friday (5th April) that the transaction would not raise competition concerns because “the merged entity will continue to face several strong competitors”.

Regarding its English-language book sales, the...

Charlotte Williams | EU | European Commission | Home | merger | Penguin | random house
HC and Hachette UK refine agency model

Publication Date: Wed, 03/04/2013 - 16:00

HarperCollins and Hachette UK are the first UK publishers to introduce a refined agency model with Amazon.co.uk.

The online giant removed the text indicating that HC and Hachette UK's e-book prices were "set by publisher” today after concluding negotiations with the publishers following the European Commission ruling...

agency model | amazon | Apple | digital | e-books | European Commission | Hachette | Hachette UK | HarperCollins | Holtzbrinck | Home | Katie Allen | Kindle | Lisa Campbell | Philip Jones | Simon & Schuster
Publishers settle with EC on agency pricing

Publication Date: Thu, 13/12/2012 - 14:46

The European Commission has accepted commitments from Apple, Hachette Livre, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Macmillan and ended its investigation into e-book pricing.

The EC stated it was also currently engaged in "constructive discussions" on a settlement with Pearson.

The four publishers who have now...

Apple | Benedicte Page | digital | e-books | EC | European Commission | Hachette Livre | HarperCollins | Macmillan | Simon & Schuster
EU aims to close Amazon Luxembourg VAT dodge

Publication Date: Wed, 24/10/2012 - 11:57

The EU's European Commission has confirmed that it intends to force Luxembourg and France to raise the VAT rate applied to e-books, giving both countries just 30 days to comply or risk being taken to the European Court of Justice.

Both countries unilaterally dropped their rates at the beginning of this year in order to equalize...

amazon | European Commission | Home | luxembourg | Philip Jones | VAT
EC to give France ultimatum on e-book VAT

Publication Date: Tue, 23/10/2012 - 13:29

The European Commission is to give France one month to raise the VAT rate applied to e-books or face the European Court of Justice. The move is likely to have significant implications for fellow e-book rogue member Luxembourg and therefore for those e-booksellers, such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Bilbary, who have located their...

digital | e-books | European Commission | France | Home | luxembourg | Philip Jones | VAT
Implementation of EC price-fixing deals 'could take months'

Publication Date: Thu, 20/09/2012 - 09:46

The deals between four publishers, Apple and the European Commission over its e-book price-fixing probe could take “months” to become legally binding.

The EC revealed this week that Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette Livre, Holtzbrinck and Apple had agreed to modify or terminate their agency ...

Apple | digital | European Commission | Hachette Livre | HarperCollins | Holtzbrink | Philip Jones | Simon & Schuster
EC warns France and Luxembourg on e-book VAT

Publication Date: Thu, 05/07/2012 - 14:50

The European Commission has launched an "infringement procedure" against France and Luxembourg after the two countries unilaterally lowered their VAT rates on e-books.

The EC has accused the countries of "creating serious distortions of competition" that are damaging to competitors in other EU countries and has...

digital | e-books | e-reader | Europe | European Commission | Philip Jones
Deal close in EC e-book probe

Publication Date: Mon, 02/07/2012 - 08:25

Five of the six parties under investigation by the European Commission over e-book prices—Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette Livre, Holtzbrinck and Apple—are thought to be close to finalising an agreement with the EC. Penguin is also being investigated, but has not entered into discussions over a deal.

In...

DoJ | e-book prices | European Commission | investigation | Lisa Campbell and Charlotte Williams
EC v-p backs calls for reduced VAT on e-books

Publication Date: Wed, 27/06/2012 - 09:45

The vice-president of the European Commission, Neelie Kroes, has backed a call by European publishing chiefs for the rate of VAT on e-books to be reduced.

Penguin chief executive John Makinson and Hachette commercial director Richard Kitson joined publishers including Riccardo Cavallero of Mondadori; Hedwige Pasquet of Gallimard...

e-books | European Commission | International | Lisa Campbell | VAT