EIBF

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!
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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!

26/03/2026

Two days ago, on March 24, the owner of Book Punch bookstore and three staff members were arrested by the Hong Kong police for allegedly selling “seditious” publications, including a biography of jailed media tycoon and pro-democracy activist and publisher Jimmy Lai.
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As EIBF, we strongly condemn the arrest as direct assault on the universal right to access information and ideas, and a dangerous escalation in the suppression of independent voices and intellectual freedom in Hong Kong. We are resolutely committed to defending the right to publish, sell, and access books without fear of censorship or persecution.
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EIBF calls for the immediate release of the arrested booksellers and urges the international community to join us in condemning these actions and to stand in solidarity with booksellers and publishers worldwide who face repression for their work.
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Find out full statement here :

The European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) strongly condemns the arrest of Pong Yat-ming and three staff members of Book Punch in Hong Kong for allegedly selling a biography of jailed pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai. This arrest is a direct assault on the universal right to access...

06/03/2026

🚨 EIBF stands with German bookshops against unjust exclusions 🚨

The European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) supports Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e.V. and strongly condemns the exclusion of three independent bookshops from the German Bookshop Award.

Bookshops are the backbone of cultural diversity and democratic discourse. Excluding them from this award, based on opaque procedures and political assumptions, and without clear evidence, threatens the very values our industry upholds.

We urge the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media to review his decision and reinstate the Prize laureates immediately, or provide clear, verifiable evidence for the exclusion.

Read our full statement here: https://europeanbooksellers.eu/press/eibf-condemns-unjust-exclusion-bookshops-german-bookshop-award

09/01/2026

📆 The start of a new year is always a moment for reflection, a time to take stock, and to consider where our efforts should be directed in the months ahead.

🎤 For us at the EIBF, the vision for our work was clearly set out by EIBF President, Fabian Paagman, during the European Book Sector event we organised, reuniting the voice of professionals across the book sector.

Read Fabian Paagman’s full contribution to the debate, outlining EIBF’s core principles and goals here:

The start of a new year is always a moment for reflection, a time to take stock and to consider where our efforts should be directed in the months ahead. For us at the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), the vision for our work was clearly set out by EIBF President, Fabian Paag...

30/12/2025

🎉 Season's Greetings and Happy New Year! 🎉

In 2025 our work took us to international stages, brought important advocacy victories for the sector and marked significant transitions within our organisation.

Read our latest blog post to see the highlights that shaped this remarkable year for EIBF, and what we look forward to in 2026 ✨👉 https://bit.ly/4shaQDl

05/12/2025

📚 Great news for books, culture, and sustainability!

The European Parliament and the Council of the EU have reached a provisional agreement to exclude printed products — including books, newspapers and magazines — from the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

This decision protects forests while ensuring citizens’ access to literature, educational materials, and cultural diversity.

We now await the formal confirmation of the agreement by both the Council and the European Parliament, and trust that this process will proceed swiftly and without delay.

Many thanks to EIBF members and our partners in this advocacy achievement.

Read our full statement here: https://europeanbooksellers.eu/press/eibf-celebrates-historic-victory-books-are-excluded-eudr

03/12/2025

📣 The European & International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) is pleased to announce the opening of recruitment for its next Director, following the departure of Julie Belgrado, whose decade of dedicated leadership has been central to EIBF’s growth and success.

The ideal candidate will bring:
- Leadership experience in a cultural, NGO, federation, policy or lobbying environment
- Strong understanding of EU policymaking & the Brussels ecosystem
- Experience managing EU-funded projects and diverse stakeholders
- A collaborative leadership, skilled at building relationships across borders
- Excellent communicator & credible spokesperson
- Strong organisational and financial management skills
- Affinity with books, reading and the cultural sector
- Fluent English; French preferred; other EU languages a plus

Find the full job post below and apply by 9 January 2026: https://bit.ly/4pfhrvQ

📩 To express interest or learn more, email [email protected]

📣 We’re hiring: Director of the European & International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) Location: Brussels Sector: Books, culture, EU policy Salary: €80,000 (or equivalent contracting arrangement) EIBF is the global voice of booksellers, championing book-friendly policies, leading EU and inter...

28/11/2025

Last week, EIBF Policy Officer Tora Åsling, together with representatives from across the book sector and reading promotion ecosystem, took part in the roundtable with Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, marking the official launch of .

This initiative, co-funded by Creative Europe and active in 43 countries across the continent aims to:

📚 Celebrate European literature

💡 Inspire younger generations to read

🗣️ Promote linguistic diversity

We are proud to be involved in this inspiring and important project as we are fully committed to fostering reading promotion across Europe and globally.

We invite you to discover and the campaign here: https://www.readforreal.com/

Thank you for this insightful event!

27/11/2025

📚 EIBF, joined by a coalition of the book, newspaper and magazine publishing sectors, warmly welcomes the European Parliament vote to exclude books from the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) - a balanced decision that protects both forests and culture.

This vote is an important recognition of the unique nature of the book and printed media sectors, and the disproportionate burdens the regulation would have placed on the book and printed media ecosystem across Europe.

We are grateful for the cross-party support that led to this outcome, and for the Members of the European Parliament who acknowledged the cultural, democratic and societal value of books.

📚 EIBF President Fabian Paagman said:

"Today’s vote is a strong signal that the European Parliament recognises the essential role books and bookshops play in our cultural and democratic life. We fully support the EU’s environmental goals, but regulations must remain proportionate and workable. By excluding printed products, the European Parliament has ensured that the EU can protect forests without restricting citizens’ access to books, knowledge and diverse voices. We now call on the Council to, without delay, recognise and confirm this crucial amendment during the trilogues."

Find our press release here: https://bit.ly/4anuqH8

Federation of European Publishers I European Magazine Media Association (EMMA) I European Newspaper Publishers' Association (ENPA) I European Publishers Council (EPC) I News Media Europe