The Flemish Government has approved a draft decree by Culture Minister Sven Gatz for regulating book prices. 'At the request of the sector, we seek with this decree to strengthen our book trade for the future, "said Gatz.  

The basic rule will ensure a regulated price for new books for the first six months after their publication, which bookstores and other shops where books are sold up to ten per cent discount may give. Then the book price is free.

The introduction of the book-regulated benefits both consumers and the bookstore, the publisher and the author.

"The prices between the various booksellers, large or small, can vary for the same book. Certainly some concerns, for example bestsellers, "explained Minister of Culture Sven Gatz out. "With the book-regulated, we ensure that the book is offered everywhere at roughly the same rate in the first months after publication. Bestsellers for example, will not at this time are at high discounts in supermarkets. Also, publishers and authors benefit from this new arrangement. Publishers can invest again in known but also less well-known and aspiring authors. For the reader the book supply widens. More choices makes for more reading. "

The basic rule is allowed only one exception. Libraries and schools are on the fixed book get a bigger discount, ie. 25 percent. The preliminary draft contained an exception of 15%. The increased awareness maximum ceiling for the reduction for both education institutions and libraries because they have a cultural and educational objective is a priority.

After four years the effects of regulated book prices will be evaluated. In the bilingual region of Brussels-Capital regulated book price will also apply for the English books. The French Community Minister Gatz will conduct further interviews to the system for book prices in the capital as much as possible to align with each other.

The provisions of the draft were drawn up after intensive and extensive consultations with Boek.be, the industry association of the book trade.Earlier, the draft was submitted to the European Commission, which made no fundamental observations.

The draft now goes for advice to the Strategic Advisory Board for Culture and the Council of State. After final approval is submitted to the Flemish Parliament.

It is expected that the regulated book prices can be introduced in the spring 2017.

https://cjsm.be/cultuur/nieuws/met-gereglementeerde-boekenprijs-mikt-gatz-op-sterkere-boekensector