January 13, 2010

By By Wolfgang Spahr, Berlin

The German collection societies GEMA, GVL (German Collecting Society for Performers and Phonogram Producers), VG Wort (literature) and VG Bild-Kunst (pictures, artist) have come to an agreement via their common holding company ZP? (Central Organisation for Private Copying Rights) with the producers and importers of personal computers about a new remuneration for private copying.

From the period Jan. 1 2008 until Dec. 31, 2010, the remuneration for PCs with a burner included will be ?13.65 ($19.88) per device, and for PCs without burner ?12.15 ($17.70), plus VAT sales tax. For PC-producing-companies that are not members of the Association of Computer Production companies (BCH) the rates are 25% higher.

Previously the PC companies did not pay remuneration for PCs, only for CD and DVD-burners, whether incorporated in PCs or not. The remuneration was ?9.21 ($13.41) for a DVD-burner and ?7.50 ($10.92) for a CD-burner.

Dr. Harald Heker, CEO of GEMA, said in a statement: "This agreement is a breakthrough on the area of remunerations. We hope that by negotiating we will also reach agreements for other products that have to be paid for. We are ready to speak."

Products for which remunerations have to be paid to ZP? are video, audio and MP3 recording devices, photocopiers, blank-tapes, blank CDs and blank DVs.

According to GEMA, ZP? is not giving out figures about its turnover.

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