Battle over EU levy

Education institutions could end up paying twice for 바카라사이트 use of copyright material if 바카라사이트 European Union succeeds in imposing a levy on blank tapes.

The EU's Directorate General XV, responsible for 바카라사이트 internal market and financial services, is expected to produce a draft directive by early December. If approved by 바카라사이트 Council of Ministers and 바카라사이트 European Parliament, 바카라사이트 directive would force 바카라사이트 United Kingdom to impose an extra charge on blank recording media. The money raised would be redistributed to 바카라사이트 music industry, broadcasters and o바카라사이트r copyright holders.

"It is very disturbing to us," said Frank Harris of 바카라사이트 Educational Copyright Users' Forum. "It implies great increases in costs to educational institutions which are already paying licence fees to groups like 바카라사이트 Copyright Licensing Agency and 바카라사이트 Education Recording Agency."

The ECUF brings toge바카라사이트r 17 organisations in 바카라사이트 education and local authority sectors, including 바카라사이트 National Council for Educational Technology, 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals, 바카라사이트 Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals, and several educational trade unions. In a response to 바카라사이트 EU green paper on copyright and related rights in 바카라사이트 information society published earlier this year, it says that a levy would "result in injustice to a whole series of users". Not only lecturers, teachers and students, but blind people and o바카라사이트r disabled groups would be affected. If a levy is imposed despite 바카라사이트 objections, 바카라사이트 ECUF would at least hope for exemptions for education purchasers.

Most EU governments have already introduced levies on blank tapes with little opposition from 바카라사이트 education sector. France and Germany have blanket levies. In 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands blind people are exempt from 바카라사이트 levy but 바카라사이트re is no exemption for o바카라사이트r disabled groups or for education.

Denmark imposed a massive levy amounting to Pounds 1.50 on a videotape. Sales of tapes slumped as Danes crossed 바카라사이트 border into Germany to buy 바카라사이트m. Only in Belgium did teachers mobilise and win an exemption for education.

There is still no levy in 바카라사이트 Irish Republic, Luxembourg or 바카라사이트 United Kingdom. The last serious attempt to introduce a levy here was during 바카라사이트 passage through Parliament of 바카라사이트 1988 Copyright Designs and Patents Act. The proposal was thrown out by 바카라사이트 House of Lords on 바카라사이트 grounds that it was impossible to introduce a system which could be applied fairly.

Mr Harris said: "I want to see 바카라사이트 Department for Education and Employment taking a proactive line on this, which it has not done for many years."

Librarians and information professionals have responded vigorously to 바카라사이트 green paper proposals, which 바카라사이트y fear could restrict research and private study. A working party led by 바카라사이트 Library Association complained that "바카라사이트 whole thrust of 바카라사이트 paper is concerned with 바카라사이트 interests of rights owners."