AGP Executive Report

EU Trade Policy: The EU is ending the de minimis exemption and will start charging duties on low-value imports from July 1, hitting shoppers with higher online shopping costs and adding friction to China-linked e-commerce. Digital News Regulation: Britain is weighing rules that could push social platforms to prioritise “trusted” news sources in feeds, sparking debate over who decides trust and the risk of censorship. Publishing & Books: KU Leuven in Belgium will host a visit from Japan’s Emperor Naruhito to explain part of its Japanese book collection that survived war damage—an enduring symbol of post-war friendship. Industry & Products: Nukeproof is launching the Kilowatt e-MTB, a new all-new platform built around the Avinox drive unit, aiming at value-focused riders. Tech, Learning & Reading: China’s ACCO TECH is marketing interactive talking-pen and sound-book tools as a bridge between print and digital literacy. Culture & Travel: Hilton Molino Stucky Venice unveils a summer programme of rooftop cinema, live music and culinary events.

Ukraine-Russia War & Media: Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev has been added to Ukraine’s Mirotvorets “kill list” after visiting Crimea, with family details reportedly doxed—raising fresh questions about how cultural figures are targeted in wartime. UK Politics & Brexit: A new wave of commentary follows Keir Starmer’s resignation and the likely rise of Andy Burnham, with debate centring on whether Brexit’s legacy has become a “curse” for UK leadership and whether rejoining the EU is now inevitable. Publishing & Scholarship: Viking’s Muslim Europe (Tharik Hussain) challenges the “Judeo-Christian” myth by tracing 1,400 years of Muslim presence across Europe, from Cyprus to Granada. Tech & Publishing Adjacent: Google’s AI and search dominance is under pressure as talent leaves and EU scrutiny grows, while a separate report highlights how AI news chatbots are spreading slowly. Games/Entertainment Industry: Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot has died in a plane crash in France; EA also announces further 2026 layoffs amid a wider industry restructuring. Biopharma Events: Life Science Connect buys Life Science Networks to expand CDMO Live and build a biopharma outsourcing events platform.

Interactive Publishing Tech: Riddle.com has launched an Interactive Graphic no-code format, letting editorial and marketing teams add clickable hotspots to images for layered, mobile-first experiences—aimed at boosting engagement without developer help. UK Politics & Publishing Context: Reuters reports Keir Starmer’s resignation after less than two years, citing public anger over living standards and illegal immigration—setting up a fast-moving leadership question that will shape Britain’s policy mood for publishers and authors. Brexit Debate in Books: Lord Elliott’s new Brexit memoir, Ten Years On, argues for staying out of the EU and urges Brexiteers to “get back on the pitch” ahead of the next general election. Children’s Publishing Spotlight: Onjali Q. Raúf, author of The Boy at the Back of the Class, discusses how her refugee story still resonates—and how legal changes and far-right marches have forced updates to its stage adaptation. Audio Advertising in France: Odeeo expands in-game audio advertising in France via Lagardère Publicité News, pushing non-intrusive brand-safe formats across mobile games. Print/Packaging Industry: Durst hosts an open house at Pixartprinting in Italy, highlighting rapid European label production and on-demand small-quantity printing.

UK Politics: Keir Starmer has resigned as prime minister, setting up a rapid handover to Labour frontrunner Andy Burnham and triggering fresh infighting over the party’s economic direction. Publishing & Culture: Aesop’s Aesop Queer Library returns in London with its 2026 theme “Body of Work,” spotlighting LGBTQIA+ authors and a new Reading Room pop-up. Film & Literary IP: KVIFF Industry Days (5–8 July) is expanding its Central and Eastern Europe co-production focus and launching Book-to-Screen at KVIFF, with 38 projects across five strands. International Book Heritage: Sen. Loren Legarda marked José Rizal’s 165th birth anniversary by opening the Rizal Historic Trail in Wilhelmsfeld, Germany—linking the Philippines’ independence story to a European publishing landmark. Travel Rules: China has widened visa-free access for UK and Canada passport holders (30 days), while US travellers face different transit terms—an update that will shape summer reading-and-travel plans.

AI & Rights: A coalition of artists, songwriters and managers has urged record labels and publishers to stop “misuse” of creators’ rights in AI music deals, saying works are being included without proper consent and that moral/image rights are being surrendered. Publishing & Culture: Ukraine’s deputy culture minister argues the country lacks effective literary awards to shape reading tastes, warning that market forces and “top lists” increasingly favor genres like romantasy and dark fantasy. Books & Film: Albert Serra and Bi Gan discussed how literature travels into cinema at a Spain-China dialogue panel, stressing that adaptation is less about copying texts and more about building an original film language. Industry Watch: HMS Networks reports Industrial Ethernet keeps taking share, reaching 79% of newly installed industrial network nodes worldwide. Europe in Focus: A volunteer 3D-printing network in Germany, DrukArmy/PrintArmy, is producing parts for Ukraine’s soldiers and rescue teams. Heritage & Reading: Dublin’s oldest public library marks the 300th anniversary of Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels” with an exhibition tracing its rapid spread and lasting cultural impact.

AI & Publishing Integrity: Germany’s Tagesspiegel faces a media scandal after its former publisher/editor-in-chief admitted using AI to write opinion columns, prompting the paper to take related pieces offline. Robotics Race: At France’s Vivatech, European humanoid-robot start-ups pitch themselves as a counterweight to Chinese giants, while admitting key AI chip know-how is harder to source locally. Industry Events: WIA’s 10th World Summit returns to Annecy on June 22, spotlighting animation, gaming and VFX with a focus on women and nonbinary creators. Books & Travel Publishing: New editions and classic guidebooks get attention as Baedeker-style travel publishing is celebrated, alongside features on luxury travel brands and book-friendly itineraries. Sports Culture & Reading Habits: World Cup coverage keeps blending fandom with family life and nostalgia, including pieces on sharing the tournament with kids. Publishing Ecosystem & Health Tech: HLTH Europe warns of “blind trust” in AI triage, arguing clinicians may defer to algorithmic confidence over independent judgment.

World Cup & Books Culture: Germany booked the last 32 with a 2-1 comeback over Ivory Coast as Deniz Undav struck twice, while Curaçao earned their first-ever World Cup point with a 0-0 draw against Ecuador—another reminder of how quickly sport turns into story. Sports Media: BBC Wimbledon pundit Andrew Castle is stepping down, adding to broadcaster reshuffles ahead of the Championships. Publishing & Reading: The Critic spotlights new titles from Rebecca Lee’s look at mischief in books to Sebastian Mallaby’s account of Demis Hassabis and the AGI “quest,” plus Charlie Pye-Smith’s rural-voices book. EU/Policy & Tech: The EU’s AI content labelling playbook is in focus as regulators push toward the AI Act deadline. Travel & Lifestyle: London is topping Paris for summer luxury travel points bookings, and easyJet is launching a Birmingham–Copenhagen route from November. Energy & Industry: Scottish Renewables urges the government to publish tidal policy to boost investor confidence for MeyGen.

Publishing & Books: The Critic spotlights how books go wrong, from typos to publishing mishaps, in Rebecca Lee’s Rogues, Widows and Orphans, while another Critic piece reviews Sebastian Mallaby’s The Infinity Machine on Demis Hassabis and the AGI race. Politics & Policy: Andy Burnham’s Head North is framed as a constitutional overhaul pitch, and a separate book review looks at Europe: A New History and Muslim Europe. Tech, Media & Regulation: A new EU AI content labelling playbook is reported ahead of the AI Act deadline, and coverage also flags the wider “Big Tobacco moment” for Big Tech liability. Culture & Industry: Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot dies in a plane crash in western France, a blow for the French games publisher behind Assassin’s Creed. EU Travel: The EU lifts its negative travel advisory for most of Assam, keeping limits only for three districts. Sports (book-adjacent): Zverev is knocked out of the Halle Open by Taylor Fritz, setting up a final against Tiafoe or Altmaier.

Art & Repatriation: A new book, The Man Who Stole the Gods, traces how Cambodia’s looted Khmer statues were routed through a global network of dealers, brokers and Western museums before repatriation. Publishing & Trade Fairs: The Seoul International Book Fair (June 24-28) opens with online ticket demand surging and a France guest showcase, while the theme “Homo Duduri” frames reading as a way to question AI-era answers. Media & Policy: The EU is set to engage with industry after the Stop Killing Games push, as lawmakers move away from a mandatory preservation approach. Books & Culture: A translated fiction spotlight hails Tie Ning’s The Passage of Roses as a major achievement, alongside reviews of new European titles. Travel & Books: easyJet adds winter routes from Liverpool to Reykjavik and Finnish Lapland, boosting the seasonal reading-and-travel crowd.

EU Policy: The European Parliament has approved rules on vehicle EPR and recycled content, pushing the bloc further into circular materials. EU Governance: EU lawmakers are also moving on tougher migration rules, including deportation centres, as the bloc tries to tighten control. Publishing & Media Regulation: The EU Court of Justice has backed France’s porn-site age checks, while the Stop Killing Games campaign still faces roadblocks as the Commission won’t legislate it. Industry & Tech: Audio is “fully integrated” into publishing, with bosses pointing to format growth, and Big Tech’s influence over news is again under the spotlight. Books & Culture: A new book revisits York’s Rowntree’s early history and the making of the KitKat, while another looks at the York brothers’ chocolate legacy. Heritage Under Pressure: Ukraine’s cultural sites keep getting hit, with the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra among recent damage reports. Travel & Reading Habits: A growing debate asks what replaces traditional reading clubs and how social media alternatives work for under-16s.

Publishing & Print Industry: West Africa’s packaging and print market is forecast to keep growing, boosted by urbanisation, sustainability rules and e-commerce; Propak West Africa 2026 in Lagos is set to spotlight new manufacturing and “smart” packaging trends. EU Policy & Games: The EU is moving to engage on “end-of-life” videogame preservation after earlier pushback on Stop Killing Games; the campaign’s legal fight continues as regulators weigh what publishers must do. Book Fairs & Rights: Frankfurt Book Fair is co-creating a book-to-screen project across Europe, while Venice’s Book Adaptation Rights Market is set to bring publishers and screen buyers together. Research Freedom: Swiss China scholars say new Chinese “sensitive information” rules are making fieldwork harder, raising calls for better support for researchers. War & Diplomacy (context for readers): The EU has reportedly reached out to Moscow to keep Europe in any future talks, as Ukraine hits a major refinery again; meanwhile the UK plans a large drone package for Ukraine. Culture & Reading Life: A full-size replica of the 16th-century Nao Victoria will dock in London this summer, with public onboard access.

Digital Child Safety: The UAE has set a minimum age of 15 for social media use, giving platforms 12 months to remove accounts made by under-15s or face a full ban, citing risks around inappropriate content, unsafe interactions and children’s data. Publishing & Media Business: Informa reported 6.4% underlying revenue growth for the first five months of 2026, reaffirming guidance for double-digit underlying EPS growth, underscoring continued demand for face-to-face events tied to publishing and knowledge markets. Books & Culture: A new book-reading push hits the spotlight with Amazon’s Prime Day audiobook giveaway for football fans, including titles by England, Liverpool and Everton figures. Print Trade: FESPA Global Print Expo returns to Munich in 2027 (6–9 April), with the FESPA Awards and other co-located events back on the calendar. EU Policy & Online Games: The EU Court of Justice backed France’s age-check rules for porn sites, adding pressure on how platforms handle age verification across Europe.

Print Distribution Deal: Smiths News has signed a “transformational” national distribution contract with News UK & Ireland for The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times, making it the exclusive wholesaler across Great Britain from July 2027 to July 2037, with expected extra revenue of about £125m a year. Food Labelling Tech: AKA Foods launched AKA Label Studio, a free tool to generate compliant food labels for FDA and EU/UK markets, positioned as an entry point to its paid AI R&D platform. Publishing & Media Policy: The EU Court of Justice backed France’s age checks for porn sites, while the Stop Killing Games campaign continues after the Commission signalled it will engage with industry rather than legislate a preservation rule. Digital Identity & Social Platforms: Western governments are moving toward ID checks for social media access, raising concerns about expanding state-linked surveillance. Travel Insurance Innovation: Emirates rolled out “Comprehensive Travel Cover,” adding conflict-related medical cover plus airline-managed hotel support and rebooking during disruption. EV Demand Shift: Reuters reports EV registrations in Europe rose 34% year-on-year in May as Iran-war fuel spikes boost interest, though some executives warn the effect may fade.

Travel Tech & Distribution: Major Travel has partnered with Travelgenix to let agents sell ATOL-bonded package holidays as live, online-bookable products via API links to their own websites. Ocean Governance: Fifteen countries signed the Mombasa Declaration at Kenya’s Our Ocean Conference, pledging transparency reforms and tougher action against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. US–Iran Sanctions: A Geneva framework to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is expected to keep US sanctions “architecture” alive through adjustable waivers rather than a clean lift. Open Social Publishing: Mastodon 4.6 adds email newsletters so creators can reach followers without requiring a fediverse account, though the feature is restricted to manage server costs. World Cup & Culture: North America’s 2026 World Cup is reshaping stadium calendars, with major venues going dark for weeks and shifting the touring market. Book Trade Watch: France’s last two Sauramps bookshops have entered receivership in Montpellier. Media Trust in Europe: The Netherlands’ 2026 Digital News Report finds over a million adults rely on social media alone for news, with only 12% trusting it. Publishing/Tech Business: HarperCollins Leadership will publish Gerry Rich’s industry memoir, Chasing Hollywood, on 13 October 2026. Model Industry Safety: ModelGlance expands its verified agency directory to 19 countries to tackle paid-casting and fake-agency scams.

Media & Publishing: Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2026 flags a trust slump in Bulgaria (news trust down to 21%) and rising avoidance, while also noting more people are turning to AI chatbots for news. Publishing & Culture: The University of Hong Kong and Alliance Française launch an exhibition on The Little Prince ahead of the 80th anniversary of its French publication, featuring manuscripts, first editions and translations. Books & Free Speech: UK debate heats up around Ben Jones’s new book Island of Strangers, arguing multiculturalism and state censorship can’t coexist with free speech. Art & Books: A new Worst Exhibition in the World piece revisits Nazi “degenerate art” showmanship, using art history to underline how regimes weaponise culture. EU Politics: EU lawmakers move toward tougher migration rules, including deportation centres. Tech & Games Policy: The EU Commission won’t legislate a “Stop Killing Games” ban, but talks continue on preserving end-of-life videogames. Business/Media Ownership: Reporters Without Borders and unions challenge LVMH’s control of French business press after its purchase of Challenges. Travel/Leisure (light): Vueling kicks off a Canary Islands sale with fares from €14 for autumn travel.

EU Video Games Policy: The European Commission has rejected the “Stop Killing Games” push for a legal duty to keep online games playable after publishers stop selling them, citing copyright and other intellectual property rights, but it will convene industry and consumer talks to draft a voluntary “end-of-life” code of conduct. Digital News & AI: The Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2026 finds more people using AI chatbots to search for news, with weekly use rising globally and notably in Southern and Eastern Europe, even if most still treat AI as a supplement. Children Online: The UK plans a ban on under-16s using major social media platforms, following Australia’s similar move, extending controls to livestreaming and stranger-to-stranger communication. Publishing & Culture: China’s 2026 Special Book Awards go to 15 foreign authors, translators and publishers ahead of the Beijing International Book Fair, with the UAE as guest of honour. Literary Moment: Bloomsday is marked worldwide today, celebrating June 16, 1904, the day Ulysses is set in.