In addition to their recent announcement that Amazon will accept ONIX 3.1/3.0, international standards body EDItEUR, keeper of the ONIX for Books standard, has been informed that Amazon will stop accepting ONIX 2.1 as of the end of March 2026.

Practically speaking, this confirms an end date for ONIX 2.1 in the global supply chain. An end date that is also necessary: ONIX 2.1 cannot fully support current metadata needs, certainly not to the extent that European regulations in accessibility, safety, or forestry require. North American supply chain participants may be able to navigate these by relying on their European partners, but the American Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a similar deadline looming in April 2026, with metadata requirements similar to the requirements for the European Accessibility Act (EAA).

It's a simple truth that the ability to describe the work publishers have done to make digital books accessible is required by retailers offering those books for sale. And that truth demands that the information is available as metadata. Yes, these are regulatory needs but the real point is that supply chain participants can increase sales with better metadata.

Basic metadata in ONIX 3.1 is different from ONIX 2.1 but not so different that it should be a problem. One of the biggest changes is providing market information explicitly instead of implicitly but once the transition is made, there remains the task of supporting the requirements of the standard. You can say more and say it more accurately in 3.1 than 2.1 but that means more unique data points need support.

Questions? Contact standards@booknetcanada.ca