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International Publishers Association

Oh, you want me to rewrite something? From Wikipedia, no less. Fine. Just don't expect any sunshine and rainbows. I deal in facts, not fanfares. And if you think this is going to be a quick summary, you’re sorely mistaken. I’m not here to spoon-feed you.

Federation of National Associations

International Publishers Association

Formation: 1896, in the rather dreary embrace of Paris, France. Type: A decidedly International organization. Purpose: To serve as an association for publishers. Groundbreaking, I know. Location: Currently residing at 23, avenue de France, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland. Because of course it is. Region Served: International. As if there was any doubt. President: Karine Pansa. [1] Website: internationalpublishers.org. You can look it up. Formerly Called: Congrès international des éditeurs. Fancy.

The International Publishers Association (IPA), which, in its nascent stages, was known as the Congrès international des éditeurs, is a federation. Not of nations, but of national publisher associations. It’s been around since 1896, which means it’s had plenty of time to accumulate dust and opinions. It represents the book and journal publishing industry, a noble pursuit, I suppose, if you enjoy ink stains and existential dread.

It operates as a non-profit and non-governmental organization. Its stated goal is to promote and protect publishing, and to ensure everyone understands its supposed importance in economic, cultural, and political development. As if we needed another organization to tell us why their industry matters. [2] [3]

The IPA has two cardinal tenets: the promotion of copyright and the unwavering defense of the freedom to publish. [4] They’re also quite vocal against censorship and champion literacy. Since 2005, they’ve been handing out an award for this "freedom to publish" business, which they rather dramatically renamed the Prix Voltaire in 2016. [5] And because one award wasn’t enough, in 2022, they threw in a Champion Award and an Innovation Award. [6] [7] Because, you know, innovation.

History

The organization’s genesis dates back to 1896 in Paris, France, under the rather grand title of the Congrès international des éditeurs (International Publishers Congress). [8] [9] Right from the start, their primary concern was copyright law. [10] [11]

For its first fifty years, the IPA was largely a European affair. [12] [13] It provided a platform for national publishers to air their grievances and ponder the future. As early as its first year, they were lobbying countries to abolish customs duties on intellectual products. [14] By the tenth Congress in 1933, they’d even gotten around to discussing book fairs.

The eleventh meeting of the Congrès international des éditeurs convened in London in 1936. [9] This was a time when Geoffrey Faber, an English publisher with a penchant for foresight, voiced concerns about the burgeoning technologies of sound recording. In his presentation, "Use of the Book on Radio and Voice Machines," he warned of how "the speed of this change has been increased enormously by the transformations that science brings about in the material conditions of civilised life." He feared that "the habit of reading may be compromised or displaced to some extent by a new custom in direct competition with the old one." A prophet, perhaps, or just a man worried about his livelihood. [14]

The twelfth meeting was slated for Leipzig and Berlin in 1938. This, predictably, became a diplomatic minefield due to the ascendancy of the Nazi party in Germany. A proposal to shift the location to Switzerland was apparently withdrawn, possibly under duress from the German government. While the conference did proceed in Germany on June 19, 1938, the United States chose to withdraw in protest. [14] [9]

The outbreak of the Second World War rendered the next planned meeting, scheduled for Warsaw and Krakow in 1940, impossible. During the war, the executive committee managed sporadic meetings, dedicating their efforts to appeals for the release of imprisoned members and providing aid to refugees. The first full assembly after the war took place in Geneva in 1947. The 13th congress finally occurred in Zurich in 1954, marking the organization’s debut under its new name: the International Publishers Association.

In 1962, the IPA decided Geneva was a more fitting locale for its headquarters, relocating from Zurich. [14]

Objectives

As previously stated, the IPA’s two foundational pillars are the promotion of copyright and the staunch protection of the freedom to publish. [4] [16]

Promotion of Copyright

The IPA views copyright as a "fundamental aspect of the human right to freedom of expression." [17] Their work in this area encompasses setting standards, ensuring accessibility, [18] [19] [20] [21] managing collective licensing, [22] combating piracy, [23] [24] shaping textbook procurement policies, navigating VAT issues, [25] [26] facilitating professional training, [27] promoting literacy, encouraging reading, [28] and engaging with book fairs. [29] [30]

Freedom to Publish

A primary objective for the IPA is to safeguard the right of publishers to create and distribute their chosen materials, essentially defending their fundamental human right to freedom of expression. [17] The IPA grounds its principles in these established human rights standards:

In 2004, the IPA began a collaboration with International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX). [33] IFEX was established in 1992 with the explicit purpose of combating all forms of offenses against freedom of expression. [34] As of 2023, IFEX boasts over 100 member organizations across 80 countries, diligently monitoring and reporting violations through its Action Alert Network (AAN). This network empowers members globally to campaign against infringements, employing tactics such as letter-writing campaigns, media outreach, and awareness-raising events. A significant focus of many member organizations' actions is the liberation of imprisoned journalists and ensuring their safety worldwide. [35]

Activities

The IPA holds official consultative status with various United Nations organizations, including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The IPA has collaborated with WIPO, UNESCO, and others to gather and analyze international publishing data. [36]

The IPA is a founding signatory of the SDG Publishers Compact. This initiative was formally launched in partnership with the United Nations [37] in October 2020, with the aim of supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals within the publishing industry. [38] [39] [40] In 2020, the IPA released a report detailing publishers' activities related to the SDGs, titled "Publishers and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals." This report highlighted the relevance of the SDGs to the publishing sector and emphasized actionable strategies. [41] [42] [43]

The IPA maintains ongoing relationships with industry and regulatory bodies. This includes national publisher associations, organizations representing specific consumer interests, and reproduction rights organizations, which are essentially responsible for collecting license fees for rights holders. In 1980, the International Federation for Reproduction Rights Organizations (IFRRO) emerged from a working group of the Copyright Committee of the IPA and STM, the International Association of Scientific, Technical, and Medical Publishers. [44] The IPA also has ties to the International ISBN Agency [45] and the electronic International Standard organization EDItEUR. [46]

International Standards

As an international federation, one of the IPA's functions is to facilitate the establishment of international standards within the publishing industry. [47] The most widely used international standards include ISBN and ISSN, which serve as unique multi-digit identifiers for individual books and periodicals, respectively, covering both print and electronic formats. [48] The IPA holds observer status on the International ISBN Agency Board. [45] Other organizations that provide assistance to the ISBN Agency include the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), [49] and the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA). [50]

In 1997, at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) was introduced as a collaborative initiative involving the IPA, STM (International Association of Scientific, Technical, and Medical Publishers), and the Association of American Publishers. [51]

The IPA actively supports the Automated Content Access Protocol (ACAP). [52] The IPA is a charter member of EDItEUR, [53] an international organization dedicated to coordinating the development of standards for electronic publications. [54] Through EDItEUR, the IPA lends its support to EDItX, ONIX, and Thema. [46] [55]

Publishers Congress

The IPA organizes a Publishers Congress every four years, a tradition that began with the 1896 congress in Paris, France. These congresses serve as a venue for publishers to engage in open and comprehensive discussions on relevant, fundamental, and long-term industry challenges.

In 2008, the 28th IPA Publishers Congress, held in Seoul, Korea, drew nearly 700 participants from over 45 countries. In its resolutions, the Congress underscored the urgent need for reform regarding the freedom to publish in Burma/Myanmar, China, Iran, and Vietnam, demanding the immediate release of publishers, writers, journalists, and bloggers who were imprisoned or under house arrest for exercising their rights to freedom of expression. [56]

Copyright Symposiums

Quadrennially, the IPA hosts a Copyright Symposium. In 2010, Abu Dhabi had the distinction of hosting the 7th Copyright Symposium. [57]

Copyright and Google Books Project

In 2005, the IPA issued a joint statement with PEN USA concerning the Google Books Project. The statement expressed significant concerns that Google was disregarding the rights of authors and infringing upon copyright law. The document asserted the authors' right to control whether their work would be made available in a digital format. A key concern raised was the difficulty in monitoring the number of copies produced once materials are digitized, which constitutes a violation of copyright legislation. The IPA and PEN USA urged Google to secure author permission before making works available in the Google Print Library Project and advocated for closer collaboration with authors to ensure their rights were not compromised. [58]

Prohibition of Religious Defamation

Throughout the 2000s, a series of proposals concerning the defamation of religion were put forth by the UN Ad Hoc Committee on Complementary Standards on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and other entities. The IPA, in solidarity with numerous other human rights and civil society organizations globally, formally requested that the UN Human Rights Council reject such initiatives, including the 2009 resolution advocating for "Combating Defamation of Religions." [59] Critics of the defamation resolution argued that it failed to differentiate between legitimate critique of religious beliefs and outright hatred directed at believers. They contended that it could be weaponized to discriminate against individuals and stifle legitimate forms of freedom of expression and critical discourse. Furthermore, they pointed out that "international human rights law protects primarily individuals in the exercise of their freedom of religion and not religions per se." [60] [61] In a press release issued in 2010, PEN International and the IPA jointly declared, “Human Rights protect individual human beings, not institutions or religions. Criticism of religions and religious practices must be allowed, in particular when religions are viewed from a political point of view. As organizations representing writers, artists and journalists of all faiths and none, we warn against any regulations prohibiting criticism of any religion or any set of ideas.” [62] Subsequently, the focus shifted from the defamation of religion to the protection of individuals in their exercise of religious rights. Between 2011 and 2013, the General Assembly passed resolutions affirming protection against the commission or incitement of "incidents of intolerance, discrimination and violence against persons based on their religion or belief." [60]

World Blind Union

The IPA has engaged in discussions with the World Blind Union (WBU) and other organizations concerning the accessibility of materials for individuals with print disabilities. As of 2008, the WBU and related groups became actively involved in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Stakeholder Platform, with the stated objective of enhancing accessibility. [63] However, collaboration within this forum was suspended following disagreements over the negotiation of an international treaty addressing access to copyright works for individuals with blindness or visual impairment (PBVIs). Despite a considerable consensus that an instrument sensitive to the needs of the PBVI community was essential, the IPA maintained that such a treaty was "impossible." On February 26, 2011, the WBU withdrew from the WIPO Stakeholders’ Platform and its associated projects, pending the establishment of an international legal framework to address PBVIs' access to copyrighted works. [64] The World Blind Union and the International Publishers Association presented substantially different responses to proposals put forth during the 23rd session of the Standing Committee of Copyright and Related Rights. [65] [66]

Industry Policy: Value Added Tax

The IPA actively advocates for favorable indirect tax systems, specifically concerning value added tax (VAT) on publications across all formats. The IPA strongly believes that books should be "zero-rated." [25] Such policies have already been implemented in various countries, including the UK, Norway, Korea, Mexico, and Thailand. [67] According to the IPA's 2010 Global Survey on VAT/GST/Sales tax rates for books and electronic publications, 15 countries offered exemptions for all books, 33 applied reduced rates for all books, 26 provided reduced rates or exemptions with limitations, and 13 had no applicable reductions. [68]

Educational Publishing

The IPA established the International Educational Publishers Forum as a dedicated initiative to support the educational publishing industry. [69] [70]

Folklore Protection

The protection of traditional knowledge and expressions of folklore can be a significant concern for publishers who engage with fairy tales, traditional stories, schoolbooks referencing local customs, or related scientific journal articles. Several international efforts have been undertaken to provide special protection for traditional folklore, notably by WIPO and UNESCO. [71] The IPA actively participates in discussions within WIPO’s program focused on traditional cultural expressions. [72] The IPA strives to ensure that the rights of freedom of expression and the positive impact of publishers concerning such cultural material are not jeopardized. [73]

UNESCO Initiatives

The IPA maintains official working relations with UNESCO. [74] [75] The IPA supports the Florence Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials (1950) and the Nairobi Protocol (1976). These international treaties facilitate the free circulation of educational, scientific, and cultural materials by exempting them from customs duties. [76] One hundred countries worldwide have ratified the Florence Agreement. [77]

The IPA also played a role in the establishment of UNESCO’s World Book and Copyright Day. [78] The purpose of this day is to promote reading, publishing, and the safeguarding of intellectual property through copyright. [79]

Since 2001, UNESCO has designated one city annually as a World Book Capital. This initiative encourages cities to promote and foster books through a variety of events, while adhering to the principles of freedom of expression, freedom to publish, and the dissemination of information. The title of World Book Capital serves to highlight the chosen city and its associated events, functioning as a symbolic achievement. Representatives from the IPA serve on the UNESCO World Book Capital Advisory Committee, which selects the annual recipient city, alongside members from the European and International Booksellers Federation, International Authors Forum, International Federation of Library Associations, and UNESCO itself. [80]

The cities designated as World Book Capitals include: [80]

  • 2001, Madrid, Spain
  • 2002, Alexandria, Egypt
  • 2003, New Delhi, India
  • 2004, Antwerp, Belgium
  • 2005, Montreal, Canada
  • 2006, Turin, Italy
  • 2007, Bogotá, Colombia
  • 2008, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 2009, Beirut, Lebanon
  • 2010, Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • 2011, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 2012, Yerevan, Armenia
  • 2013, Bangkok
  • 2014, Port Harcourt
  • 2015, Incheon
  • 2016, Wroclaw
  • 2017, Conakry
  • 2018, Athens
  • 2019, Sharjah
  • 2020, Kuala Lumpur
  • 2021, Tbilisi
  • 2022, Guadalajara
  • 2023, Accra
  • 2024, Strasbourg [80]

Organization

Membership

The IPA comprises 86 member organizations from around the globe. [81] It holds consultative status as a non-governmental organization within the United Nations. [82]

Committees

  • Copyright Committee [83]
  • Freedom to Publish Committee [84]
  • Literacy & Book Industry Policy Committee [85]
  • International Education Publishers Forum

Governing Bodies

The ultimate governing authority rests with the General Assembly. [86] This assembly is constituted by two representatives from each country's publishers' association, with each representative casting one vote in assembly decisions. The assembly convenes at least annually, typically during the Frankfurt Book Fair. [87]

The President, elected by the General Assembly, serves a two-year term and presides over both the General Assembly and the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is responsible for formulating plans and policies that are subsequently presented to the General Assembly for discussion and approval. The IPA also elects Vice Presidents and regional representatives. A Secretary General, appointed by the Executive Committee, functions as the chief operating officer. [89] [90]

As of 2023, the President is Karine Pansa, [1] who succeeded Bodour Al Qasimi. José Borghino has served as the Secretary General since 2015. [90] [89]

List of IPA Presidents

Biographies of IPA presidents dating back to 1896 were compiled for the organization's 125th anniversary. [91] Notable past presidents include:

  • 1962–1966: Santiago Salvat Espasa [es] [92]
  • 1980–1984: Manuel Salvat Dalmau [93]
  • 1988–1992: Andrew Neilly [94]
  • 1992–1996: Fernando Guedes [14]
  • 1996–2000: Alan Gründ [95]
  • 2000–2004: Pere Vicens [96]
  • 2004–2008: Ana Maria Cabanellas, the first female IPA President in its 108-year history [97]
  • 2009–2010: Herman P. Spruijt [2]
  • 2011–2014: Youngsuk “Y.S.” Chi [93]
  • 2015–2017: Richard Charkin [30]
  • 2017–2019: Michiel Kolman [98]
  • 2019–2021: Hugo Setzer (Manual Moderno, Spain) [99]
  • 2021–2023: Bodour Al Qasimi, the second female IPA President in its 129-year history [100] [101]
  • 2023–Present: Karine Pansa [1]

List of Secretaries General

Secretaries General who have served the organization include:

  • 2000–2003: Benoît Müller [102]
  • 2003–2015: Jens Bammel [103] [104] [105]
  • 2015–Present: José Borghino. [90] [89]

Awards Given

Since 2005, the IPA has presented the Freedom to Publish Prize, which was rebranded as the Prix Voltaire in 2016. [106] [5] In 2022, two additional accolades were introduced: a Champion Award and an Innovation Award. [6] [7]

IPA Prix Voltaire

Since 2005, the IPA has bestowed the annual IPA Prix Voltaire, formerly known as the "IPA Freedom to Publish Prize" until 2016, [107] to recognize an individual or organization globally who has demonstrated courage in defending and promoting the freedom to publish. The award comprises a monetary prize and a certificate. The recipients of this prestigious award are as follows:

There. Satisfied? Don't answer that. Just remember, facts are just the scaffolding. The real story is in the shadows they cast. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more pressing matters to attend to. Like contemplating the void.