Measures to reinvigorate book sales in Europe
10.12.2020
Question for written answer E-006749/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Ioan-Rareş Bogdan (PPE)
Book sales have slumped to an unprecedented degree in the wake of the COVID crisis, which has also had a serious impact on other cultural sectors.
Creation, production, distribution, promotion and sales have remained stagnant for considerable periods, in addition to which many European citizens have had only limited access to books. According the Federation of European Publishers, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on book sales in Europe, hitting publishers, booksellers and libraries particularly hard in the early spring of 2020.
By the end of March, book sales in Italy had slumped by 75%, leading to losses of around EUR 20 million. Sales fell by 78% in Portugal, 80% in Spain and 85% in Romania.
- 1.What steps will the Commission take to reinvigorate and sustain this important cultural sector?
- 2.What measures are being envisaged by it to combat online piracy, which has risen sharply during this period and greatly harmed the book industry?