EU MP3 player plans dropped
p2pnet.net News:- Electronics manufacturers threatened legal action unless European governments abandoned an extra charge on music players and blank CDs.
Now the European Commission, “has shelved plans to introduce new laws governing levies on digital music players just days before it was due to unveil its proposals,” says PC Pro.
And that’s bad news for consumers, it has Copyright Levies Reform Alliance spokesman Mark MacGann stating.
“Denying allegations that it had bowed to pressure from the French government, the Commission said simply that it needed more time to consider the issues involved,” says the story.
“The Copyright Levies Reform Alliance, which represents device makers and sections of the music industry, said that it was furious at the last minute postponement and published a letter sent last month by the French prime minister Dominique de Villepin which urged Commission president José Manuel Barroso to delay reform.”
But, “With this decision, it is clear to industry that the Commission has abandoned any serious efforts to establish transparency, efficiency and fairness in the way these levies are set, collected and distributed, let alone its publicly stated ambition to promote better regulation,” declares MacGann.
The EC, however, “dismissed accusations from the electronics industry of a cave-in over copyright tax, but said it would treat any complaints impartially,” says Reuters.
“You need to take the position of lobbyists with a pinch of salt,” it has the European Union executive’s chief spokesman Johannes Laitenberger as saying.
“At this point in time we do not have a concrete decision for a timetable or a follow-up.”
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Also See:
PC Pro – EU shelves MP3 player levy reforms, December 14, 2006
Reuters – EU dismisses industry “noise” over copyright tax, December 14, 2006
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