The TISP network (Technology Innovation for Smart Publishing), the European project coordinated by the Italian Publishers Association which gathers 25 organisations from 12 European countries, has released a set of policy recommendations, giving the publishing and technology sectors a common base at European level to foster and sustain innovation for the first time.
The document, drawn up jointly by the two European representative bodies of the publishing and ICT industries, FEP and DIGITALEUROPE, represents a common stance of both worlds regarding the essential actions needed to support innovation, and submits operational guidelines of industrial policy based on the needs of companies from both sectors.
The recommendations address policy makers looking to secure the smooth running of the markets concerned and the satisfaction of consumers, using existing instruments at their disposal. They call for more public investment, including research and development, and the allocation of project funding to support both sectors.
The recommendations stem from dialogue held between the communities of book publishers and ICT providers, and draw inspiration from a variety of sources, including: wider discussions held at TISP events; business cases collected within the project; and the experiences and reflections of project partners.
Suggestions range from fostering cooperation and mutual knowledge between the ICT and publishing sectors to enhancing digital skills, from facilitating access to research and finance to supporting initiatives that improve access to books by the visually impaired, as well as encouraging integrated ICT and publishing solutions to address commercial needs, increasing the discoverability of books online and creating more and more attractive products.
