The Antitrust has decided to put the spotlight on school books, a market worth around one billion euros a year. The aim is to explore in depth the dynamics of competition and the most critical issues: from the trend of the prices frequent new editions, up to distribution andsupplying.
This market is not only about books, but also about Publications and aids intended to students e teachers of primary and secondary schools. With 7 million students and their families, and one million teachers involved, school publishing has a considerable economic and social impact.
Why did the Antitrust Authority launch an investigation into educational publishing?
The investigation aims to better understand how these markets work and to shed light on issues of public interest, such as the trend of prices (often too high), the frequent changes in editions and the difficulties of supply. Furthermore, the methods of distribution and the adoption of school books will be examined, taking into account the technologic innovations, such as the combination of paper and digital formats and the management of rights for digital editions.
In parallel, the Authority has launched a public consultation and invites all interested parties to send their contributions within 30 days.
In essence, the Antitrust wants to ensure that the world of school textbooks is not just a maze of complexity and costs, but an industry that works smoothly for everyone.
