European Directives, ONIX, 
and the Importance of Metadata in the International Book Supply Chain

Chris Saynor (EDItEUR) will provide an overview of how US publishers can include essential metadata relating to three European Directives in their ONIX 3 messages. It will look at the European Accessibility Act (EAA), EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR), and General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR).

Chris Saynor is responsible for EDItEUR's book publishing standards including ONIX, Thema and EDItX. He joined the organization in late 2016. For the previous eight years, he worked for GiantChair Inc. in Paris as a metadata specialist and project manager, and has been responsible for implementation of the Onixsuite application in many publishing organizations. He is widely known for his work with French industry liaison body CLIL and with BISG committees. Prior to that, he has a 20-year background in bookselling with Waterstones and WHSmith.

European Accessibility Act (EAA)
This directive requires that products and services sold or used in the EU be accessible to people with disabilities, the elderly, and other groups with accessibility challenges. This includes ebooks, metadata, ecommerce, and e-reading software and devices. The EAA applies to businesses regardless of where they are based, and businesses that are not compliant may be prohibited from offering certain products and services in the EU market. 

EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)
This regulation requires collaboration and transparency among all members of the forest-to-paper supply chain. It also requires companies to respect the rights of individuals, communities, and groupings to land and resources.

General Product Safety Regulation
The GPSR is a European law that sets requirements for consumer products sold in the EU. It applies to all non-food products, including toys, cosmetics, and medical devices. The GPSR aims to protect consumers, ensure the proper functioning of the EU market, and address challenges posed by digitalization and online sales.