The “ePidtrymka” program to provide new incentives for the development of Ukrainian publishing

Announced the “ePidtrymka” program aims to support the development of publishing and distribution of Ukrainian books. This was discussed during a meeting between First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko and Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications Mykola Tochitsky with representatives of the publishing industry.

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Challenges for publishing

“The publishing industry has suffered greatly since the start of the war. The destruction of printing houses, such as Kharkiv’s ‘Faktor-Druku,’ the loss of capacities due to temporary occupation, and lack of access to financing are the challenges the industry faces,” noted Yulia Svyrydenko.

She also mentioned that the government is already implementing several initiatives to support Ukrainian literature. One of these is the “National Cashback” program, which allows buyers to receive up to 10% of the purchase price of Ukrainian books as a refund. In December, Ukrainians will also receive a thousand hryvnias in social support, which can be spent on utility services, donations to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, or purchasing books.

Support for bookstores

The “National Cashback” program has already included 12,500 Ukrainian books, and bookstores continue to actively join the initiative. By purchasing Ukrainian books, citizens can receive cashback from the government, thus supporting Ukrainian publishers.

Mykola Tochitsky noted that soon, 18-year-old Ukrainians will receive a certificate for purchasing Ukrainian books worth 900 hryvnias. The relevant law was signed by the President on May 17 and provides for state subsidies to bookstores to compensate for rent.

Impact of the “ePidtrymka” program

Representatives of the publishing industry emphasized that the “ePidtrymka” program, introduced in 2021, had a positive impact on the industry. From December 2021 to February 2022, Ukrainians spent 1.2 billion hryvnias on books, which increased demand for Ukrainian literature and helped publishers survive the onset of the full-scale invasion.

“The ‘ePidtrymka’ program at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 gave the publishing industry the strength to recover after the pandemic. It’s fantastic that Ukrainians chose Ukrainian books as one of the main categories for spending the 1,000 hryvnias,” noted Oleksandr Krasovitsky, editor-in-chief of the ‘Folio’ Publishing House and acting president of the Public Union “Ukrainian Association of Publishers and Booksellers.”

This initiative is aimed at providing new opportunities for the development of Ukrainian publishing and supporting it in the context of a challenging economic situation.