Yesterday Google decided to make public concessions to publishers outside the US, part of an effort to ease concerns over its Google Books project.

In October 2008, Google was granted temporary approval for a settlement that enables it scan non-copyright-protected books — including those whose copyrights have elapsed — and put them online. Final approval of the settlement was delayed for a fairness hearing, scheduled this October 7th.

Meanwhile, companies that include Microsoft, Yahoo and Amazon have formed a coalition to block the settlement.

Google will sell US customers digital versions of out-of-print books that remain under US copyright — unless copyright holders object. The agreement doesn't cover copyrights held outside the US, but it will affect foreign writers whose work has been published within the country.

Google will add two representatives of foreign authors and publishers to its Books Rights Registry board, an organization created by the settlement to manage US copyrights.

Books out of print in the States, but still available elsewhere, will also not be displayed on Google Books without permission. Google hopes this concession will relax European publishers that weren't able to control the sales of US translations of their works still sold in their original languages in Europe.

Google only plans to scan European books over 150 years old to avoid infringing on copyrights. Those within copyright will only be added if the owners agree.

At present, the European Commission is hearing both advocates and critics of Google Books regarding how this settlement will affect Europeans.

In March of this year, Sony Reader signed a deal to avail the contents of Google books on its e-readers. Three months later, Google stated plans to launch a proprietary e-book retail program.