As even non-Canadians may recall, there has been a massive issue within the country a few years back over a so-called ” iPod tax ” (something that cropped up again within the recent election) and, while it still hasn’t come to pass, the Canadian Private Copying Collective is now pushing for a music tax of another sort. While there isn’t any iPods at risk of being taxed this time, the CPCC is looking for a brand new levy to be put on memory cards (presumably every kind, although that hasn’t been specified). That levy would vary dependent on the capacity of the cardboard, with those not up to 1GB facing a $0.50 tax, while cards between 1GB and 8GB would have an extra dollar tacked on, and people over 8GB would cost a whole $3 more. Of course, that may be a reasonably sizable percentage of the worth mostly given the style memory card prices are dropping — and it might cast a reasonably broad brush, as those memory cards obviously aren’t just used for music. After all, it’s also still only a proposal but, because the Excess Copyright blog notes, the peculiarities of the Canadian Copyright Board could give the CPCC a leg up subsequently. Head on past the break for its official announcement.
(Toronto) – The Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) has asked the Copyright Board of Canada to set a levy on electronic memory cards if you want to compensate artists and other rights holders for the copies of recorded music which are made for personal use onto this sort of recording medium.
The Copyright Board has published the proposed Private Copying Tariff for 2012 and 2013 on its website http://www.cb-cda.gc.ca/. The proposed tariff for 2012-13 would depart the prevailing levy of 29 cents on CD-Rs unchanged. The levy rates for electronic memory cards would vary depending upon memory card capacity, with proposed rates starting from 50 cents to $3. The present tariff expires on December 31, 2011.
“a replica is a replica, whether it was made on a CD-R or a memory card,” said Annie Morin, Chair of the CPCC. “That replicate has value, and a levy at the blank media used to make it ensures that the artists, songwriters and other rights holders receive the compensation to which they’re entitled. It is a matter of fairness.”
The CPCC had requested a non-public copying levy on electronic memory cards in 2003-04. However, the Copyright Board declined to grant a levy, stating that it was not satisfied by the evidence the CPCC was in a position to present at the moment. CPCC Chair Morin said, “The CPCC believes that the evidence now shows that electronic memory cards are ordinarily utilized by Canadians to replicate music. Consequently, the CPCC has requested that a levy be applied to those cards.”
No other new levies are being sought under the tariff proposal, although the CPCC continues to advocate that the Copyright Act be amended to incorporate the extension of the personal copying levy to MP3 players.
The non-public copying levy is a vital income for music rights holders. In place since 1999, the non-public copying levy provides remuneration to songwriters, music publishers, recording artists, musicians, and record companies in recognition of the truth that Canadians copy hundreds of millions of tracks of recorded music for his or her own private use.
Established in 1999, the CPCC is an umbrella organization whose member collectives represent songwriters, composers, music publishers, recording artists, musicians and record companies. The CPCC is the non-profit organization accountable for collecting and distributing private copying levies.
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