Melbourne couple wins at 2019 Prix Sorcières
Picture book Petit Soldat (Editions du Seuil), by Melbourne-based couple Pierre Jacques Ober and Jules Ober, has been awarded at the 2019 Prix Sorcières in France. Due to be published...
French book sales fell 1.6% in 2017
French publishing sales fell in 2017 by 1.6% in value to €2.79 billion (A$4.4bn), according to figures from the French Publishers Association (Syndicat National de l’Edition, SNE), reports the Bookseller....
‘Visually sophisticated, quirky, funny and daring’: Mike Shuttleworth reports from the Paris children’s book festival
‘France is producing some of the finest books for children in the world,’ writes Mike Shuttleworth, reporting from the Paris children’s book festival Salon du livre et de presse jeunesse...
Penguin Random House UK to close French and German offices
Penguin Random House (PRH) UK will close two offices covering markets in Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, France and Germany as part of an international restructure of its sales team, reports the Bookseller....
French Parliament passes law banning free shipping from online booksellers
The French Parliament has passed a law banning online book retailers from offering free shipping to customers, reports French Culture. As previously reported by Books+Publishing, the bill was unanimously passed...
International Library News
UK and French libraries launch pilot ‘twinning project’Church Street Library in London, UK, and Place des Fêtes Library in Paris, France, have launched a pilot ‘twinning project’, reports the Guardian....
French book chain Chapitre closes
French bookstore chain Chapitre has completed its dissolution after the Paris commercial court approved the takeover sale of eight stores and the closure of 23 stores that couldn’t find buyers,...
French senate approves bill to ban free delivery from online retailers
The French senate has approved a bill banning online retailers from offering free delivery to customers, reports US news outlet ABC News. The bill was unanimously passed through the French...
Higher tax rate imposed on DRM-ebooks under new French law
France has passed an amendment to its tax laws that increases the tax rate for ebooks with digital rights management (DRM), reports Le Nouvel Observateur. The amendment, which will come into force in...
French parliament passes bill banning online retailers from offering free delivery
The French parliament has passed a bill banning online retailers from offering free delivery to customers, reports the New York Times. The bill was unanimously passed through French parliament’s lower chamber...
French and German book trades call for government ebook policy
In France and Germany, publishers and booksellers associations are calling for their national governments to implement a policy to protect the ebook trade from big retailers, reports the Bookseller. At...
Digital Virgo acquires online retailer VirginMega
In France, mobile and interactive media group Digital Virgo has acquired VirginMega, the online retail subsidiary of the defunct Virgin Megastore group, reports the Bookseller. Founded in France in 1988 by Richard...
French Government to legislate to stop Amazon combining discounts and free delivery
French Culture Minister Aurélie Filippetti has revealed that the French Government plans to introduce a law to prevent Amazon from offering both discounts and free delivery for books in France, reports Reuters....
French Virgin Megastore chain enters liquidation
In France, the Paris Commercial Court has ordered the Virgin Megastore retail chain into liquidation, reports the Bookseller. The order comes a week after the court rejected two final partial...
French Government, publishers announce new funds for booksellers
French booksellers will have access to an additional €9 million (A$12.4 million) in funds this year, thanks to new funding pledged by the French Government and French publishers, reports the Bookseller....
French minister announces €5 million fund for loans to booksellers
In France, Culture Minister Aurélie Filippetti has announced the creation of a €5 million (A$6.2 million) fund for loans to booksellers, reports the Bookseller. While announcing various measures that will...
French president outlines measures to preserve local book industry
In France, president François Hollande has outlined possible measures to support the French book industry, reports the Bookseller. Speaking at a reception at the Élysée Palace before the opening of the Paris...
France demands millions in tax from Amazon
French authorities have demanded Amazon pay back taxes worth US$252 million (approximately A$242 million), reports Inside Retail. According to a document filed by Amazon to the US Securities and Exchange...
Google reaches deal with French publishers
In France, Google has reached an agreement with publishers and authors over the scanning of French works, which the internet giant hopes with ‘help jump-start’ the French ebook market, reports...
More gold for Tan
Illustrator Shaun Tan can add yet another award to his bulging CV, after taking out the Album of the Year prize at Angouleme, France's prestigious comic book festival, for The Arrival (Lothian)....