Proposed Reduction in Copyright Customs Royalties

An association of manufacturers and distributors (known as RATEK) seeks to reduce the number of electronic devices for which they pay a 1% royalty, designed to compensate copyright holders for personal copying of film, music or other copyrighted materials done via these electronic devices.  In a letter sent to the Russian government, RATEK proposes to exclude cameras, DVD players, radios, projectors and certain telephones from the royalty list.  The Russian Union of Rights Holders (authorized last year to collect the 1% royalty fee) has yet to comment on the proposed changes.  RATEK President, Alexander Onishchuk, contends that the proposal will not significantly reduce the royalty fees collected because the items at issue account for a small percentage of the overall electronic goods market.  Onischchuk also argues that the players in the electronic devices market will be able to divert money saved on the royalty fee into development of new products.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/mikhalkov-could-get-less-royalties/442641.html