Commission to launch fresh look at Copyright Levies

Announcing the re-launch of a consultation process on Private Copying Levies EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy said today that he wanted to have a fresh look at all the issues involved.

'I hope this new round of consultations can lead to solutions being found to the discrepancies that the diverse application of these levies have led to', he said.

Mr McCreevy said : 'There is a need for a genuine open discussion between all stakeholders and that is what the present consultation is designed to facilitate. There can be no question of calling into doubt the entitlement of rightsholders to compensation for private copying. At the same time there is a need to look at how the levies are applied in practice. It should be possible to envisage some workable solution that assures the rightsholders of their due compensation and at the same time applying the levies in a way that is commensurate with the loss caused by private copying. If pragmatic and workable solutions are to be found, all sides need to come to this debate with a constructive approach.'
Mr McCreevy said that the consultation period would be open until 18 April. He added that the Commission would then hold an open hearing in June which would endeavour to see if a common approach between all stakeholders can be developed.

http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/copyright/levy_reform/index_en.htm