French Industry Attacks Private Copy Fees As Levy Debate Grows
By Dugie Standeford for Intellectual Property Watch
Makers and distributors of digital storage products and audiovisual media last week urged France's highest administrative court to kill private copy levies on technologies for transferring data such as USB keys, external hard disks and memory cards.
The challenges, filed 9 November in the Conseil d'Etat by e-merchant Rue du Commerce and the Syndicat des Industries de Mat�riels Audiovisuels Electroniques (SIMAVELEC), contend that the lack of harmonised levies among European Union countries violates EU law and hurts online sellers.
The legal action came one day after the European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers (GESAC) argued that non-payment of levies should be made a criminal offence.