Those in the European Union seem to have a greater preference for print books and magazines than their digital counterparts, the website Eurostat reported. A recent study revealed that 13.4 percent of residents in the EU had bought printed books online in the previous three months in 2023. The corresponding figures for 2022 and 2021 happen to be 12.7 percent and 14.5 percent … [Read more...] about e-book buying preference in EU countries: Print vs e-books
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Amazon fined $888 million for GDPR violation in the EU
Amazon has been slapped with a huge €746 million fine on charges of misusing customer info for advertising purposes. The fine amount, which roughly translates to about $888 million is also the highest ever to be levied for violation of Europe's strict data protection laws. Specifically, it is the National Commission for Data Protection or CNPD in Luxembourg that imposed the … [Read more...] about Amazon fined $888 million for GDPR violation in the EU
Amazon Abandons MFNs in eBook Contracts
Amazon's woes across the pond may be coming to an end with the acceptance of its move by the EU. In a hotly contested and lengthy battle, Amazon has agreed to remove "most favored nation" clauses, and the EU has made that legally binding. MFNs have practically guaranteed that Amazon would always have the lowest prices on ebooks, and that hasn't sat well with either retailers … [Read more...] about Amazon Abandons MFNs in eBook Contracts
Amazon May Be Close to a Deal in EU Case
Amazon is no stranger to issues surrounding ebook prices. Stateside, Amazon was a quiet player in the Apple-Big Five lawsuit brought about by the Department of Justice, but in Europe, Amazon is the central figure in the proceedings. At its heart, the issue stems from alleged price fixing that forces the publishers' hands in an already hotly contested topic. But there may be … [Read more...] about Amazon May Be Close to a Deal in EU Case
Amazon Backs Down to Avoid EU Punishment
It's a strange day for book retailing and publishing, as readers and authors alike react to the news that Amazon, apparently, can be frightened into compliance. In a story that carries just as many questions as answers, book retail giant and worldwide phenomenon Amazon has agreed to back off on its iron-fisted terms of service, at least in European markets, under threats from … [Read more...] about Amazon Backs Down to Avoid EU Punishment
Amazon Attempts to Settle EU Antitrust Investigation
When words like Amazon and antitrust get bandied about in the same sentence, people start to wonder about the shady dealings the world's largest book retailer may be engaged in. At least that's the case where the European Union is concerned, and a year-long investigation into Amazon's ebook distribution contracts with publishers. Last year, a watchdog branch of the EU … [Read more...] about Amazon Attempts to Settle EU Antitrust Investigation
EU Looks to Dissolve Geo-Blocking for Netflix, Similar Sites
A new look into film and television rights and a new observation on how exactly the European Union is supposed to function as a single marketplace may lead to big changes for companies that offer streaming services like Netflix and Amazon. One EU commissioner has demanded some answers for why certain markets in the EU are open to international entertainment content, and others … [Read more...] about EU Looks to Dissolve Geo-Blocking for Netflix, Similar Sites
No Tax Break on eBooks in the EU
There's a fun throwaway scene in the iconic climate change movie, The Day After Tomorrow. Two intellectuals who are holed up in the New York Public Library to ride out the next ice age are gathering books to burn. One of them grabs a copy of Nietzsche's works, but they argue over the implications of burning such an important thinker's book. The nerdy high school student calls … [Read more...] about No Tax Break on eBooks in the EU
Amazon Faces Tax Woes in EU
Book and retail giant Amazon has come under fire over the years for its taxes, or more accurately, its failure to pay taxes that critics felt were long overdue. Whether in the US or abroad, the company has been able to take advantage of current tax law to its own interests, a fact that lawmakers literally around the world have been trying to fight. In the US, a wave of … [Read more...] about Amazon Faces Tax Woes in EU
Facebook $19B Acquisition of WhatsApp Approved by the EU
Facebook announced their intention to purchase WhatsApp in February of this year for a cool $19 billion (or $21.8 billion at Facebook's current share price); a deal that received approval in the United States a few months later in April. Unfortunately for the social media giant, the acquisition wasn't all smooth sailing --the European Union (EU) opposed the deal, stating that … [Read more...] about Facebook $19B Acquisition of WhatsApp Approved by the EU
EU Court Rules Libraries can Make eBooks without Publisher Permission
The highest court in Europe has ruled that libraries can digitize books without publishers permission and distribute them to dedicated reading terminals. The decision rests on exceptions built into the EU Copyright Directive for reproducing and communicating intellectual property. Specifically it says that publicly accessible libraries may make works available at "dedicated … [Read more...] about EU Court Rules Libraries can Make eBooks without Publisher Permission
UK Rules eBooks Aren’t Books as Far as Taxation Is Concerned
There's no relief in sight for UK readers, as Parliament declared that there was no good reason or means to reduce the outrageous 20% VAT on ebooks. While their print counterparts enjoy a zero-percent tax--like many state and local governments in the US who feel that book purchasing should be supported--ebooks are still treated in much the same way as a software download and … [Read more...] about UK Rules eBooks Aren’t Books as Far as Taxation Is Concerned
All’s Not Well at Amazon Germany
Just in time for the holidays, workers at several Amazon retail distribution centers situated throughout Germany have staged a series of one-day strikes in an effort to force the retail giant's hand in terms of labor disputes involving pay rates and working conditions within the factory-like centers. According to the German-based ver.di union, as many as 1,900 Amazon … [Read more...] about All’s Not Well at Amazon Germany
Samsung, Philips Raided in EU on Suspicions of Indulging Unfair in Trade Practices
Some front line companies such as Samsung and Philips along with the biggest electronics retailer in Europe, Media Saturn, had to deal with unannounced guests from the European Commission. Neither of the companies divulged any details of the raid, though they did confirm their premises were subjected to scrutiny on suspicions of an unfair collusion to limit the sale of devices … [Read more...] about Samsung, Philips Raided in EU on Suspicions of Indulging Unfair in Trade Practices