According to French newspaper Les Echos reports, “The iPad maker, Apple disputes that Copied France must pay the tax on sales of its iPad even though it did raise prices in February.” Copied France – which defends authors, artists and actors’ rights in the audiovisual sector, sued Apple in August 2011.
The private copy tax is based on devices that are capable of recording audiovisual content, which could allow their owners to make copies of music videos and movies for their own use. Apple is said to owe around €4.74 million on sales of 500,000 iPads sold in 2011.
The Cupertino-based company must pay €12 for each device that has 64GB storage or more, been accused of witholding payments to French copyright association Copie France, which are thought to total €4.74 million ($6.3 million) in 2011.
Other manufacturers such as Nokia, Motorola, Sony-Ericsson, RIM and several unions, including the Simavelec Gitep or TICS, seized the supreme authority to dispense the tablets, but also other products of any charges.
The arguments of the manufacturers states that the charge was made without European decisions consideration of use and comes calling into question the very principle of the calculation of private copying.
(Image Source: Apple logo, Featured Image Idea@ Fast Company)
