The Paris Book Market (PBM) closed the doors of its 5th on Friday June 5e edition on a clearly improving balance sheet. Organized in a 1,450 m² space in the heart of the Marais, the professional meeting dedicated to rights exchanges welcomed more than 300 registered foreign professionals, twice as many as at its first edition in 2022, and registered more than 4,500 scheduled appointments.
« The meetings are of high quality, in a climate that is much more relaxed than in Frankfurt but of great professionalism », he remarked Ebba Öttsbergdirector of Forum, the Swedish house of the Bonnier group. She returned to Paris for the second time after finalizing a deal last year.
A decisive timetable
Positioned at the beginning of June, the PBM occupies a strategic niche in the international editorial calendar: between the London Fair (March) and the Frankfurt Fair (October), it coincides with the presentation of the titles of the French literary season.
A timetable that participants consider decisive. “The timing is really good between Frankfurt and London.”underlines Emmanuelle Collaséditrice à in 4e participation, which notes an unprecedented quality of commitment this year: “What we feel is that publishers are there to be told stories and above all to buy.”
This edition crosses several milestones. For the first time, the PBM welcomes foreign professionals in the position of rights sellers: 12 Dutch houses, all sectors combined, are participating as part of a Netherlands focus.
Elaine MichonFranco-Dutch from the Elami Agency, representing Dutch, Flemish and German catalogs, draws a positive assessment of the event. “I see publishers here that I don’t necessarily see in Bologna or Frankfurt.”and notes a format « plus compact » et “a more pleasant environment”, echoing all the participants questioned.
This opening mechanically broadened the profile of the participants, with nearly 40 French acquisition publishers coming to meet these Dutch players and publishers from French-speaking countries. The French-speaking segment outside France continues to grow: 40 professionals registered in 2026, compared to 20 when these markets were opened in 2024.
Professionals with varied profiles
The comics sector also benefits from a strengthened presence. Following the cancellation of the Angoulême Festival, the PBM opened its tables to comic book publishers: 100 foreign publishers from the sector are present this year, compared to 70 in 2025.
The international dimension now attracts professionals with varied profiles. Govind Deceebuyer of the Indian publishing house Comics DC, is looking for graphic novels and children’s books. He returns after his informal appearance during the very first edition, in 2022. “These connections have value, even if we don’t sign a book this year,” he admits.
Paula Erizanua professional active on the Romanian and Moldovan markets, appreciates the clarity of the French market that the PBM offers: “It’s really interesting to learn all these practices.”particularly around transfers of pocket rights, a French specificity that it had not encountered in other markets.
The compressed two-day format constitutes, according to participants, a direct competitive advantage compared to major fairs. Yannick Dehéefrom Nouveau Monde editions, identifies an emerging trend: “I notice a real acceleration in the transfer of audio rights, and this is reflected in the exchanges at the PBM this yearâ€.
