2018/0287/B
EC/EFTA
BE Belgique
  • SERV30 - Média
2018-09-24
2018-06-29

The cooperation agreement is intended to protect books. Book prices are currently regulated in the French Community and in the Flemish Community. The aim of this agreement is to introduce a book pricing scheme for the bilingual Brussels Capital Region.

Cooperation agreement between the federal state, the French Community and the Flemish Community on the cultural protection of books

The Flemish Community and the French Community have implemented a particular book price protection system by decree, to protect Dutch-language and French-language culture. It is necessary to conclude a cooperation agreement in order to ensure that treatment is uniform throughout the whole territory of the Brussels Capital Region, but also to enable the two sets of Community legislation to have a real effect. Effectively, in the absence of a system whereby Community decrees may be applied to all parties involved in the book sector who are present within the territory of the Brussels Capital Region, there is a real risk that numerous economic operators will decide voluntarily to become ‘bilingual’ institutions in order to be able to escape the scope of the Community decrees.

The agreement is to be concluded under Article 92bis, § 1 of the Special Act of 8 August 1980 on institutional reform. It has been the subject of a negotiation between the federal state and the two Communities concerned. For it to be legally binding, it must still be approved by law and by decree.