A 70-Cent Dispute Could Reshape Book Pricing Across the EU — The Desch-Drexler CJEU Referral

Austria's Supreme Court has referred a landmark case to the Court of Justice of the European Union that could fundamentally alter how fixed book price laws operate across the EU. The case — Desch-Drexler II (C-780/25) — originated when Austrian bookseller Desch-Drexler sued a German online retailer for selling an Austrian title through Amazon Marketplace at 70 cents below Austria's mandated price. EU member states have until March 26 to submit positions. Fixed book price laws currently apply in nine EU member states.