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UK indies struggle with Brexit costs, delays

In the UK, indie publishers are struggling with increased costs and delays caused by Brexit, reports the Bookseller.

Among the most pressing is the extra costs from increased bureaucracy, while Irish publishers are reporting new ‘friction and complexity’ as the industry adjusts to the UK and Irish book markets no longer being treated as a single entity.

Independent Publishers Guild CEO Bridget Shine said the government’s post-Brexit trade agreement, which was finalised on 24 December, had given the industry little time to plan for some of the specifics of trading from 1 January.

‘We know that many publishers of all sizes have faced extra red tape on import and export logistics, and on customs declarations and rules of origin in particular,’ Shine said. ‘For some publishers, issues are being handled by third parties but, for others, especially those selling direct into Europe, it’s an unwelcome new burden.’

Shine said publishers were having to navigate the different tax arrangements of European countries they sell into, commodity or customs codes in publishers’ data feeds have been a source of confusion, and book freight from overseas printers has been subject to delays and extra costs.

‘We hope that these are teething problems, and that the logistics of trading will settle into new routines over the next few weeks,’ Shine said. ‘In the meantime, clearer government guidance on the practicalities of imports and exports, and the everyday challenges faced by publishing businesses, would be welcome.’

 

Category: International news