Earlier this year we reported that SACEM, the French society of authors, composers, and music publishers, noted Apple was ordered to pay around 5 million Euro in unpaid taxes for iPads sold in 2011. SACEM distributes the copie privée royalties, which are paid to Copie France for all devices capable of transferring and displaying copyrighted material. Today, PC INpact (via igen.fr) notes that a court in Paris has once again ordered Apple to pay for unpaid iPad taxes, this time around 12 million Euros for iPads sold between March and December of 2012. Some think Apple’s recent price increases in France could be to compensate for the copie privee taxes it hasn’t had success with avoiding. When asked about the price increases, French authorities were recently quoted as saying Apple has has yet to pay a penny towards the unpaid taxes.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
So if I have bought an iPad in France, this tax allows me to unlimited piracy of media? Sounds like a good deal to me.
Actually not.
On the paper, the tax is applied to every storage sold. A HDD, an iPad, iPhone, anything with storage.
Paying the tax (which is automatic) enables the right to make a private copy.
For example, you buy a movie, you “have the right to make a private copy” onto your iPad with this. Not any piracy.
Problem is: you buy a DVD, wanna store it on an iPad? Well you paid the tax so you have the right to, but the DVD are all protected against copying. So…
PS: I’m French.
Only €12M? Must be a slow news day.