The issue of the private copy remuneration system is becoming a subject of debate for interest groups from all over the world. L'AEPO-ARTIS grouping 27 associations of artists of Europe, the International Federation of Musicians and the International Federation of Actors took a stand in the support of the present private copy levy system.
According to the artists associations, the present private copy system "significantly supports the cultural domain" as "a flexible system combining freedom for consumers and legitimate revenues for the copyright owners" being "vital for interpreters in the exploitation of their interpretation". Replacing the fees on private copy, which brought income to the artists, with DRM, which allows copying only within a system approved by its producer, is profitable only for the industry selling DRM systems and not to the interpreters who should be able to be compensated for copies of their work.
The Federation considers that technical protection measures against copying applied to CDs, DVDs and online works are prejudicial both to consumers and artists preventing the circulation of artistic creation and attacking individual freedom.
The position of these associations comes at the moment when the topic of the copyright levy reform is included in the European Commission Work Program for 2006. The commission is concerned "that copyright levies are being applied to digital equipment and media without due account being given to the impact on new technologies and equipment especially the availability and use of so called "digital rights management" technologies which can provide alternative ways of compensating right-holders. Furthermore, there is a lack of transparency about the application, collection and distribution of the copyright levies to right-holders."
On the other side of the debate is an alliance called Copyright Levies Reform Alliance (CLRA) that was formed by IT, telecoms, electronics and digital industry associations, to lobby for removal of the levies.
The copy protection technologies are also criticized by a recent report of the UK All Party Parliamentary Internet Group (APIG). The DRM report from APIG looked at how copy protection systems restrict digital movies and music and made several recommendations on the labelling regulations that should tell consumers what they will and will not be able to do with digital content that they purchase or on the prices charged for the same digital content in different countries.
AEPO-ARTIS, FIA and FIM express their deep concern and clear opposition to
any restrictions of the remuneration system for private copying (31.05.2006)
http://www.labellife.com/2006/05/31/aepoartis_fia_a.html#more
The artists all over the world defend private copy (in French) (1.06.2006)
http://www.ratiatum.com/news3151_Les_artistes_du_monde_entier_defenden...
EC - Copyright levy reform
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/copyright/levy_reform/index_en.htm
Coalition seeks to reform EU copyright levies (6.04.2006)
http://www.out-law.com/page-6821
MPs in digital downloads warning (4.06.2006)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5041684.stm
"Digital Rights Management" - Report of an Inquiry by the All Party Internet
Group (06.2006)
http://www.apig.org.uk/index/APIG_DRM_Report-final.pdf