EIBF

16/07/2026

💡What is THEMA and how does it help booksellers?

THEMA is more than just a classification system—it’s the shared language that unites the global book trade, enabling publishers, booksellers, and distributors to communicate clearly and efficiently about a book’s subject, theme, or genre, across languages and cultures.

We asked, Chris Saynor, a seasoned expert from EDItEUR (the international standards body behind THEMA and ONIX), to share his insights on THEMA in a blog post.

With a career spanning bookselling at Waterstones, Shakespeare & Co, and W.H. Smith Paris, as well as metadata solutions, Chris brings a wealth of practical experience to the conversation.

Read the blog post here:

THEMA is more than just a classification system—it’s the shared language that unites the global book trade, enabling publishers, booksellers, and distributors to communicate clearly and efficiently about a book’s subject, theme, or genre, across languages and cultures. In this guest blog, Chri...

26/06/2026

Two booksellers have been arrested in Hong Kong on allegations of "selling seditious publications and receiving funds from foreign political organisations." on Wednesday. Local reports indicate that one of those arrested is Leticia Wong, owner of Hunter Bookstore and a prominent advocate for freedom of expression.

As EIBF, we strongly condemn these arrests as a direct assault on the universal right to access information and ideas, and as part of an alarming pattern of escalating repression against independent voices and intellectual freedom in Hong Kong. We remain resolutely committed to defending the right to publish, sell, and access books without fear of censorship or persecution.

EIBF calls for the immediate release of the arrested booksellers and urges the international community to join us in condemning these actions and standing in solidarity with booksellers and publishers worldwide who face repression for carrying out their essential work.

Read our full statement here: https://europeanbooksellers.eu/press/eibf-condemns-arrest-hong-kong-booksellers-0

30/05/2026

The EIBF Executive Committee has just returned after a few productive and eventful days together with EURead in Stockholm, Sweden. 🇸🇪📚☀️

In between sessions of the EURead AGM and meetings, we had the pleasure of discovering Stockholm’s bookshop scene by foot, visiting Akademibokhandeln, Science Fiction-Bokhandeln and The English Bookshop . We were also delighted to learn more about Sweden’s literary history over dinner at Nedre Manilla, beautifully hosted by the Bonnier Family Foundation.

Finally, we were grateful for the opportunity to thank former EIBF board member and treasurer, Maria Hamrefors for her tenure and dedicated work, and welcome Sarah Dennis as our new treasurer.

It was a real pleasure to connect with colleagues, reinforcing our organisations’ joint missions to promote reading and literacy skills and strengthening reading culture across Europe.

Thank you EURead for the opportunity to deepen our collaboration and a special thanks to our hosts, Svenska Bokhandlareföreningen and the Bonnier Family Foundation, for the hospitality and expert organisation during these wonderful days in Stockholm!
🇸🇪📚☀️

07/05/2026

How can booksellers work together with paediatricians, librarians, publishers, other industries and public institutions to tackle the pan-European reading crisis?

That's what we spent three days in Warsaw discussing, forming the foundations for the EU Literacy Coalition Memorandum.

Thank you Universal Reading Foundation for inviting us to Warsaw and European Commission for organising this crucial meeting across the various sectors working with and impacted by children and adults' ability to read.

And thanks to all colleagues and partners co-creating this memorandum with us. Looking forward to continuing this pivotal work together!