Prices of Books

Articles 34-38 of Section E, of Law 4549/2018 (Government Gazette A '105 / 14.06.2018), provide the following:

Article 34. Scope and definitions

  1. A book means, for the application of this Department, in addition to the printed version, the CD-ROM, the DVD ROM, any type of digital text (file) that reproduces the contents of a specific book, as well as the electronic book (e-book).
  2. Publisher means, for the application of this Department, any natural or legal person who publishes books in Greece in any language or who publishes books abroad in the Greek language and which are available in Greece.
  3. The provisions of this Department also apply to books circulating in Greece by a publisher established in Greece and which have been printed or reproduced abroad on behalf of the publisher.
  4. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to second-hand and defective books.
  5. The provisions of this Department do not apply to the determination of a book price after the lapse of eighteen (18) months from its first publication, without prejudice to paragraph 9 of article 35 hereof.
  6. The provisions of this Department do not apply to the price of books available to their author, to the State, to the N.P.D.D., to any legal entity that serves public or cultural or scientific purposes or provides such services to the public, as well as to professional organizations of authors, publishers and booksellers, provided that the books are not made available for commercial use.

Article 35. Determination of book price

  1. The publisher must determine the selling price of his book and any additional benefits that may be offered to the public and inform the above to those who provide copies of the book for public distribution.
  2. It is prohibited to make books available to the public by their own publisher or by a third party:

a. at a price higher than the price set by the issuer or

b. at a price that is less than ninety percent (90%) of that price.

  1. When making the book available, the publisher shall not offer additional benefits unless they are specified in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2. Advertising of benefits not specified in the preceding subparagraph shall also be prohibited.
  2. When the book distribution business is located more than fifty (50) kilometers from the seat of the publisher of the available book, it may be sold at a price in excess of five percent (5%) specified by the publisher. publisher release price to the public.
  3. The publisher can adjust the price of the book to the public. In this case, he must inform within fifteen (15) days about the price adjustment of those who procure or have procured copies of the book for their availability to the public.
  4. Those natural or legal persons who procure or have procured copies of a book for their further distribution to the public are obliged to make them available at a price:

a. which does not exceed the new price set by the issuer,

b. not less than ninety percent (90%) of this price.

This obligation is valid after the lapse of fifteen (15) days from the day that the natural or legal person, who makes the books available to the public, became aware of the redefinition of the price.

  1. In case of adjustment of the selling price of the book to a lower level than the price originally set by the publisher, he must:

a. or to pay, as compensation, to the natural or legal persons referred to in paragraph 6 the difference between the old and the new price on the number of unallocated copies,

b. or accept the return of unallocated copies at the price at which the copies were supplied, provided that the copies are not damaged or damaged.

The choice between the compensation or the return of the unused copies, according to the cases a΄ and b΄ is made by the issuer of paragraphs 2 and 3 of article 34

  1. The fee for the additional price set by the publisher of the book to the public is not considered to be exceeded, the fee for additional services provided to the public during the distribution of the book.
  2. In case of reprinting of the book, its sale price to the public cannot be lower than eighty percent (80%) of the sale price set by the publisher, for twelve (12) months. The period of twelve (12) months begins:

a. or after the lapse of eighteen (18) months from the first issue, when the reprint is completed before the completion of eighteen (18) months from the first issue,

b. or from the date of first reprint, when it takes place after the completion of eighteen (18) months from the first issue.

  1. In the event that the book is republished with significant changes by the same publisher with a different International Unique Book Number (ISBN), paragraphs 1 to 9 shall apply provided that at least twenty-four (24) months have elapsed from the date on which the copies of the book available to the publisher were sold out. The presumption for this is the relevant statement of the publisher in the database of circulating books "vivlionet". 
  2. All books on the market must be marked with the month and year of the current edition. In case of reprint or reprint, in addition to those specified in the previous paragraph, the books must also bear its serial number, as well as the month and year of the first issue. In case of non-indication of the month of publication, January of the year of publication of the book is considered as the month of publication.

Article 36. Imposition of sanctions

  1. For the violations of paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 11 of article 35, the administrative sanctions of article 22 of law 4177/2013 (AD 173) are imposed.
  2. The procedure for imposing fines is carried out according to the provisions of article 24 of law 4177/2013.
  3. The amounts of the fines imposed according to paragraph 1 are collected in accordance with the provisions of K.E.D.E. and may be adjusted by joint decision of the Ministers of Economy and Development and Finance.

Article 37. Authorizing provisions

  1. A joint decision of the Ministers of Economy and Development, Culture and Sports and Interior regulates the manner of notification by the publisher of the selling price of the book, the competent authorities for the control of the above, the procedure for its realization, the amount of the fine imposed for each infringements of paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 11 of Article 35, as well as any details necessary for the application of this provision.

Article 38. Transitional provision

  1. The provisions of this Department apply to books that will be published after the publication of this law in the Government Gazette.
  2. Those books, at the time of publication of this law, were subject to a single book price regime, based on the repealed provisions of article 39, hereinafter referred to in paragraph 2 of article 35 of this law, for a period of two (2) years from the first publication or by the date of reprint or reissue. In case of non-indication of the month of first publication, January of the year of publication of the book is considered as the month of publication.
  3. The books that are reprinted are subject to paragraph 9 of article 35 only if the first publication takes place after the publication of this law.
  4. The books that have been published before the publication of this law, in case of their re-publication with significant changes by the same publisher with a different International Unique Book Number (ISBN), after the publication of this law, are subject to paragraph 10 of article 35.

Article 39. Repealed provisions

With the publication of this law, par. 3 of article 1 of law 2557/1997 (AD 271), sub-case 1 of sub-paragraph F.4 of par. STD of the first article of law 4254/2014 (A ΄ 85) and par. 5 of article 186 of law 4261/2014 (AD 107), as well as any other provision contrary to the provisions of this Department.

The KANATAS bookstore fully complies with the provisions of Law 4549/2018.

In relation to the books that are subject to the provisions of the above Law, the prices listed on our website are valid provided that the price of the book has not been redefined by the publisher, for which the KANATAS bookstore has not been informed.

In the event that at the stage of ordering a book of the above case from the customer, it is found by the KANATAS bookstore that a redistribution of its selling price has taken place by the publisher, the KANATAS bookstore is obliged, according to the provisions of Law 4549/2018 , to redefine its selling price. Prior to the execution of this order, the bookstore will inform the customer about the new legally required minimum price, in order for the latter to confirm or cancel the order.

Books that do not exist for a long time in stock in the bookstore and are not subject to the provisions of Law 4549/2018, may in some rare cases be subject to a redistribution of its selling price by the publisher, for which the bookstore has not been updated. In the event that there has been a small revaluation, the book will be shipped at the price ordered. In case of significant price change, the customer will be informed before sending the order in order to reach an agreement.

The KANATAS bookstore invites publishers to follow the details of their titles, as they are mentioned on this website, and to immediately inform the bookstore, in accordance with the provisions of Law 4549/2018, for any redefinition of the selling price of their books. It also invites them to immediately inform the bookstore, for each first reprint or reprint after a period of twenty-four months during which a book was sold out, if according to paragraphs 9 and 10 of article 35 of Law 4549/2018, these reprints extend the inclusion of books in Law 4549/2018, regarding the determination of the price to the public.