Books are not luxuries. They are essentials.

TO: DHL, FedEx, UPS, National Postal Services, the European Commission, the U.S. Trade Representative, the UK Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), the Publishers Association (PA), and International Cultural Policymakers or any other relevant local, national or global parties.

During COVID lockdowns, governments kept bookshops open alongside pharmacies and supermarkets because they knew that books are necessities.

The Gravity of the Situation
 However, today, sending or receiving a book abroad has become almost impossible due to crushing postage costs.

• In many countries, sending one book abroad often costs two to three times the book’s cover price in postage.
• In some countries, even a €1 book can face €15–25 in “administration fees” — 25 times its value before postage is added.
• Authors can’t even afford to receive their own copies in the mail.
• Small publishers are silenced because they can’t afford international shipping.

Meanwhile, giant corporations with their own logistics networks continue shipping worldwide, while independent voices are priced out.

This isn’t about censorship or banning books.

It’s about fairness — ensuring that readers, writers, and small publishers can share stories across borders without being crushed by postage costs and customs fees.

What We Are Asking

We call on postal services, governments, and courier companies to:

• Create a special global book rate that is affordable and fair, so sending a book abroad doesn’t cost more than the book itself.
• Treat books as essential cultural goods, not luxury items.
• Guarantee reliable, affordable delivery everywhere.
   

Why We Are Asking

•  Maria, a children’s author in Romania, tried to send herself a copy of her newly published picture book from her overseas publisher. The book costs €10. Shipping it to her in Ireland costs €29 — almost triple the price of her own work.
• Abdul-Kareem, a translator in Egypt, was awarded a grant to bring a German novel into Arabic. The grant required sending complimentary copies abroad. But the postage alone was more than the grant itself, and the books never arrived. The project collapsed.
• Sarah in France wanted to send her niece in Canada a €12 storybook for her birthday. The postage alone was €25. The gift ended up costing more than €37 — nearly the price of three books — just to send one.
   

Why This Petition Matters
 Books are bridges that connect people, cultures, and languages.

When books can’t move, walls of ignorance grow higher.

Let’s make sure stories can travel again.

How You Can Help

1. Sign this petition to demand fair postage for books.
2. Share it with friends, authors, readers, translators and publishers.
3. Speak up: tell your postal service and government that books must move freely and affordably.

Together, we can win 
Fair Postage for Books so that stories reach every reader, everywhere

Let's demand & make: 📚 Books Without Borders

✨ Books not luxuries but essentials.