Green light from the Assembly for a regulated price of book deliveries to protect independent bookstores – franceinfo

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The Lang Law of August 10, 1981 which fixed the single price of the book has played a role “an essential role in maintaining the diversity of book networks”, however, this one is “weakened by the development of certain practices (…), they must therefore be supervised”, has explained the Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot.

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The National Assembly unanimously adopted on Wednesday, October 6 a bill waging war on discounted book delivery costs practiced by the major players in e-commerce by establishing the principle of a floor price.

In the view of the legislator, the practices of the giants of online commerce such as Amazon, which systematically sets the legal threshold of 0.01 euros for shipping, a rate on which the other players in the book industry (publishers and booksellers) are unable to align at the risk of drastically reducing already very low margins.

The deputies approved by 58 votes this bill initiated by Senator Laure Darcos (LR) and adopted at first reading in June at the Luxembourg Palace.

Amazon twists its nose at this measure, which has received strong support from the executive. Its French management called on Tuesday to avoid “inflation” shipping costs, considering that they will penalize the inhabitants of small towns and rural areas.

This text “welcome” “is fully in line with the desire to find a single price for the book by equalizing the price of shipping”, recalled the Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot.

The Lang Law of August 10, 1981 which fixed the single price of the book has played a role “an essential role in maintaining the diversity of book networks”, however, this one is “weakened by the development of certain practices (…), they must therefore be supervised”, explained Mrs. Bachelot who tackled “the strange generosity” e-commerce.

Right and left have supported the text. “Let’s protect the French cultural exception and our economy”, underlined the LR Julien Ravier who pointed out the “economic and environmental cost” practices of the giants of online sales. “Amazon practices unfair competition”, lambasted the communist Elsa Faucillon while Michel Larrive (LFI) regretted that the taxation of the profits of the American group was not debated on the occasion of this bill.

The rapporteur of the text, Géraldine Bannier (MoDem), underlined that the measure will have to be the subject of an evaluation in two years to properly measure its “real-life repercussions”. “The imagination of Gafam goes far beyond the tax domain”, she squeaked, noting moreover that the price-floor “too low, won’t help bookstores” and too high could lead to “deadweight loss for the entire industry”.