Supporting the demand for reading, starting with the Value Bonus, and launching a new policy of incentives to drive the growth of enterprises. These are the themes at the heart of yesterday’s meeting in Rome between the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, and the associations of the book supply chain — Associazione Librai Italiani Confcommercio, Associazione Italiana Biblioteche, Associazione Italiana Editori, Associazione degli Editori Indipendenti and Sindacato Italiano Librai e Cartolibrai Confesercenti.
The discussion, as noted by an AIE statement, “the sector’s problems have been clearly understood by Minister Giuli and the common willingness to address them with an organic approach.” From the dialogue emerged “the common objective of consolidating the tools that have proven their effectiveness, such as the Library Purchases Fund, and to renew the Cultural Bonus, extending it to all graduates as recognition of their completed studies.”
Working on a Book Law, “Capable of Valuing the Entire Supply Chain”
Giuli also stated that he was willing to study new interventions, “in addition to the commitment already made, to foster the sector’s development.” In this perspective, “he expressed the commitment to work together with operators in defining a book law capable of valuing the entire supply chain, providing concrete answers to its needs, and outlining a long-term strategy.” The associations welcomed the proposal and said they were ready to collaborate immediately on drafting the text, continuing the dialogue started.
He was also conveyed to the Minister the request that the Value Bonus for new graduates remain at 500 euros per beneficiary, providing exceptions that allow access to those who, for objective reasons, could not graduate by age 19. Regarding libraries, it is requested that the fund be additional to ordinary funding and be stabilized.
As for measures to support the sector’s companies, “the book supply chain has asked for an Innovation Fund of 50 million euros per year, the strengthening of the existing tax credit for bookstores with an increase in funding from 8 to 15 million euros, and a similar measure for micro-publishing companies.”
“A strengthening of copyright rules”
The supply chain also proposes a strengthening of copyright rules. Regarding AI companies, there is a wish to shift the burden of proof to Big Tech in light of reasonable indications of use for training algorithms with materials protected by copyright, a way to encourage transparency.
There was also proposed a reform of the photocopy remuneration regime, introducing a withholding tax on photocopiers and multifunction devices, as happens in the rest of Europe, rather than primarily burdening university libraries, as is today. For the management of digital reproduction rights of works of authorship, a system of extended collective licenses is recommended to give legal certainty to users and fair remuneration to authors and publishers.
“More funds for the Center for Books and Reading”
On the promotion of reading, therefore, there is a request to strengthen the Center for the Book and Reading with more funds, more qualified staff, and greater involvement from private sector. It is also asked to place school and school libraries at the center in particular, which suffer from funding and staffing shortages, supporting initiatives such as #ioleggoperché, Nati per leggere, and others that have done a lot in these years.
All measures, finally, “should be monitored through an open data system, becoming a public asset for all, thus introducing a modern culture of policy evaluation based on numbers and which to date is lacking.”
