2022/9012/N
EC/EFTA
NO Norway
  • X00M - GOODS AND MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCTS
2022-12-02
2022-09-02

The proposal regulates the sale and availability of new books (paper books, electronic books and audiobooks)

Audiovisual products and services, newspapers and periodicals are not affected.

Proposed Act relating to the sale of books (The Book Act)

- The proposal presented establishes a mandatory fixed book prices system to ensure a more stable and predictable legal framework for authors, publishers and bookstores. This means that publishers must determine the price of a book at which it is to be sold to the public.

- The proposal applies only to sales of books published by Norwegian publishers (registered as a company in Norway) in Norwegian or Sami languages for sale through Norwegian bookstores, and does not apply to sales to end customers in other countries. Publishers, bookstores and streaming services established in other countries can sell books to Norwegian customers without having to comply with the proposal.
- The proposal introduces two different alternatives regarding the duration of the fixed prices - 12 or 18 months.
The period applies to all new book releases in all formats (hardcover/audiobook/e-book), counting from the first time a booktitle is published. When the period of mandatory fixed prices is over, discounting and streaming in streaming services is allowed.
- The proposal also includes a duty to obtain and deliver books. A bookshop must, on request, provide customers with all physical books that a publisher keeps in stock. The publisher must deliver paper books and e-books it has available to a bookstore
- Furthermore, the proposal contains regulation of the growing audiobook market. A streaming service whose core business is the provision of audiobooks shall offer copy sales of all audiobook releases that are digitally available for distribution from the suppliers.