The National Assembly adopted Tuesday, February 15, a bill UMP on the single price of digital books. The text was voted by the UMP, PS, PCF and the New Center abstaining. But this new provision will not affect the major broadcast platforms based abroad, like Amazon, which worries the French publishers and broadcasters.
Already passed the Senate, the text provides that publishers set a single price for sale to the public, as the paper book from the 1981 Lang law. Besides setting the selling price of digital books, it prohibits practices reductions "wild" on the Internet. The rate of VAT on digital books, which now represents in France 1.5% of sales in publishing, will be 5.5% as of 1 January 2012, according to a provision of Finance Act 2011.
"This balanced text preserves the action of all actors in the book chain - authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians - without stifling the innovation of entrepreneurs will not demand of Internet users," says Frederic Mitterrand, minister of culture and communication. Fear of "dumping CULTURAL" But a provision of the text which will be discussed again in the Senate, raises the concern of professionals.
"The selling price is imposed on persons located in France, making offers digital books to buyers located in France," says Article 3 of the text. The Union of Distributors of cultural activities, which called for a review of this article, and the CEO of Fnac, Alexandre Bompard, fear unfair competition with the platforms located outside of France, like Amazon, Apple and Google which could sell for less.
Alexandre Bompard, feared the opening of a "cultural boulevard to dumping." In adopting the text in October 2010, senators predicted that the sale price was needed at all, so as to broadcast platforms established outside France. In late January, the European Commission has expressed reservations about this provision.
"In the current state of Community law, apply this text beyond our borders would go frontally against the objective. It would, not to establish a legal framework for the peaceful track, but at creating On the contrary, an environment of legal uncertainty, "has justified the minister of culture in debates in the National Assembly.
The opposition urged the government to fly to Brussels. "Political will is crucial," pleaded the PS deputy Patrick Bloche, asking in vain for the restoration of "extraterritoriality clause." Apple has already captured 80% market share of French music and Amazon cloud 50% of the market for online bookstore, "also stressed the PS members.
For more information: Towards a law on the digital book 
Already passed the Senate, the text provides that publishers set a single price for sale to the public, as the paper book from the 1981 Lang law. Besides setting the selling price of digital books, it prohibits practices reductions "wild" on the Internet. The rate of VAT on digital books, which now represents in France 1.5% of sales in publishing, will be 5.5% as of 1 January 2012, according to a provision of Finance Act 2011.
"This balanced text preserves the action of all actors in the book chain - authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians - without stifling the innovation of entrepreneurs will not demand of Internet users," says Frederic Mitterrand, minister of culture and communication. Fear of "dumping CULTURAL" But a provision of the text which will be discussed again in the Senate, raises the concern of professionals.
"The selling price is imposed on persons located in France, making offers digital books to buyers located in France," says Article 3 of the text. The Union of Distributors of cultural activities, which called for a review of this article, and the CEO of Fnac, Alexandre Bompard, fear unfair competition with the platforms located outside of France, like Amazon, Apple and Google which could sell for less.
Alexandre Bompard, feared the opening of a "cultural boulevard to dumping." In adopting the text in October 2010, senators predicted that the sale price was needed at all, so as to broadcast platforms established outside France. In late January, the European Commission has expressed reservations about this provision.
"In the current state of Community law, apply this text beyond our borders would go frontally against the objective. It would, not to establish a legal framework for the peaceful track, but at creating On the contrary, an environment of legal uncertainty, "has justified the minister of culture in debates in the National Assembly.
The opposition urged the government to fly to Brussels. "Political will is crucial," pleaded the PS deputy Patrick Bloche, asking in vain for the restoration of "extraterritoriality clause." Apple has already captured 80% market share of French music and Amazon cloud 50% of the market for online bookstore, "also stressed the PS members.
For more information: Towards a law on the digital book
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