SBA Suspends the Participation of Two Publishing Houses at SIBF 2016

Action was necessary following repeated price violations

Sharjah, November 12, 2016:  HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), has stressed that protecting authors’ copyrights and providing books at reasonable price are two main objectives that SBA is committed to at Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF). He said that SBA is dedicated to ensuring that the publishing houses participating at the annual fair agree to price regulation in order to achieve sustainability in the publishing industry, while at the same time meeting the needs and maintaining the rights of all parties, including customers. 

Al Ameri highlighted that SBA has closed the stands of two Arabic publishing houses during the 35th edition of SIBF at Expo Centre Sharjah, saying that the decision was taken as a penalty for price violations. He explained that the terms and conditions for publishing houses taking part at the fair are that they must offer at least 25% discount on their products and stated that the two publishing houses in question did not follow these stipulations, even after receiving a warning letter for their conduct in this regard. 

Al Ameri said that the two houses continued to sell their products at inflated rates even after being warned. He reiterated that it was important for the SBA to maintain the integrity of the fair and that it was necessary to take strict measures against the publishing houses by closing their stands and preventing them from participating for the rest of the current edition of SIBF.