Brussels, 11/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - In a press release on Tuesday 5 February, the IT Imaging and Printing Industry in Europe (Eurimag) welcomed the recommendations by Antonio Vitorino, advocating an improved system for private copy levies in the European Union and clarification of the ways in which authors are paid. On 31 January, the former European Commissioner from Portugal presented the results of the task that he undertook at the request of European Commissioner for the Internal Market Michel Barnier at the end of 2011. He highlighted the fact that the copies made by final users for private purposes within the framework of services already requiring licences do not cause harm that would require remuneration in the form of levies. Eurimag welcomed the dialogue on the efficiency of the current levy system, levies charged on on copy/scan/printer equipment etc. In its press release, Eurimag said that this system restricted the development of the single digital market and that that these taxes on equipment are not paid to the authors and right holders. It added that the system did not stimulate creativity but created a burden that unfairly fell on the shoulders of consumers.
In a press release, the société des auteurs d'œuvres audiovisuelles (SAA), however, disagreed with the proposals put forward by the Portuguese mediator. It expressed fear that these proposals would harm the interests of rights holders and subsequently restrict development in the cultural sector. It also said that these proposals would make the way in which licences were granted more cumbersome and would ultimately only be beneficial to multimedia equipment and apparatus manufacturers that, in the majority of cases, were not European companies. (SP/transl.fl)