Six-year Google Books spat ends with publisher agreement

June 12, 2012

11 June 2012.

Google has reached a deal with a publishing group to allow the scanning and publishing of books online - ending a six-year legal battle.

A court ruled in 2009 that the search company was in breach of copyright infringement after it digitised a number of French books.

But now an agreement has been made to allow publishers to opt in to being digitised by Google.

Publishers' group SNE said the deal respected the "rights of the author".

"This announcement marks a positive advance for updating France's print heritage under copyright and contributes to expanding the availability of digital books," it said in a statement.

A Paris court had ordered Google to pay 300,000 euros (£240,000) to three French publishers.

Google had appealed against the decision - but has now struck a deal.

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