German Industry Calls For Copyright Tax Increase

German industry bodies are pressing for a tripling of the copyright levy payable on recordable CDs and cassettes. The German composers', lyricists', and music publishers' associations want the copyright tax--which has been unaltered for 15 years--to be increased from .0614 euros (5.8 cents) to at least .18 euros (17 cents) per hour of recording capacity.

In an open letter, the three organizations have appealed to German federal justice minister Herta Daubler-Gmelin to ensure the increase takes effect by Sept. 22, the end of the current legislative period.
German Music Publishers Assn. president Peter Hanser-Strecker says the increase would not impose any undue burden on producers or consumers, adding that it is the minimum requirement to safeguard music-makers' careers.

Says Hanser-Strecker, "All people providing an artistic service by means of creative work must receive reasonable remuneration from all people using such service. For years now, lawmakers have failed to do anything to prevent an entire industry from going to rack and ruin as a result of non-remunerated downloading of music from the Internet and private copying of music free of charge."