Supporting the development of the Romanian book market. Establishing a fixed book price according to the European model

• Author: Fruntes C.
• Pages: 331-338

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 9 (58) No. 2 - 2016

Supporting the development of the Romanian book

market. Establishing a fixed book price according to

the European model

Cristina FRUNTEŞ1

Abstract: Starting from the essential part that the written culture plays in the development of

society, there is a clear need to approach the book market as a special one. It is reflected in

public policies, through regulations which sustain and promote the book. Among these

regulations, the fixed book price law has a special place. The current research aims to

highlight the stipulations of some fixed book price laws in European countries and their

implications on the book market. The Romanian book market registered a strong decline

starting 2011, and although at present a slight growth is visible, the market did not come

back to the level it had reached before the economic crisis. There are less book buyers and

readers now. Representative editors and distributors in Romania sustain the implementation

of a fixed book price law as a solution to revive the Romanian book market.

Key-words: fixed book price, fixed book price law, book market

1. Introduction

Seen from a broader perspective than just the economic one, although it is a

merchandise and there is a book market, the book is the milestone on which the

whole human knowledge is based. The book is a special product, a cultural one, with

a certain value in sustaining the long-term development of society.

This thing is reflected in Europe, and world-wide by national and regional

policies sustained by regulations and instruments through which the protection,

support and promotion of the written culture is targeted. The public policies aim at

finding the best solutions to ensure a sustainable development of the book market, a

better competition and the achievement of objectives for all the market players,

editors and distributors, authors and consumers alike, and last but not least, the

development of society on a consistent cultural and educational basis.

The relevance of the book market goes beyond the economic, financial

dimensions that it entails and on the basis of which it could be analysed. The book

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, cristina.fruntes@unitbv.ro