In the U.S., it’s up to Microsoft to decide whether or not to pay a per-Zune fee to Universal Music but in most European countries, a copyright levy for certain devices and blank CDs is the law. It’s supposed to be compensation for legal copying. Opponents hoped that the European Commission was about to change that; instead, the EC has postponed the decision. AP: “… the commission said it needed ‘more reflection’ on a complex issue, denying that it was pulling the plan under pressure from the French government, but refusing to say if or when it might re-emerge.” With no new timetable for reform, manufacturers are now threatening legal action in various countries.
Variety: “Music and film artists from across Europe have also lobbied the EC on the issue. In November, a group of prominent directors, including Pedro Almodovar and Ken Loach, sent an open letter to the Commission urging them to retain the levies.”
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