Blog

03
Nov

Netherlands to adopt new private copying levy

As of 1 January 2013, a private copying levy of at most 5 euros will be imposed on smartphones, telephones with mp3 players, tablets, hdd recorders and set-top boxes

The amount of the levy will depend on the storage capacity of the device. A maximum levy of 2 euros will be imposed on audio/video players. A standard amount of 5 euros will apply for PCs and laptops. The amount for external hdd drives will be 1 euro. The lowest rate of 3 eurocents will apply to the purchase of a CD-ROM or a DVD.

The regulation will be temporary and have a term of one year.

This is evident from an order in council State Secretary Teeven of Security and Justice sent to the Lower House 25 October 2012.

The levies on analogue and video cassettes and minidisks will disappear, because these are hardly used anymore in practice.

Memory cards, usb sticks and gaming consoles with a hard drive also fall outside the scope of the regulation, because these devices are used to a very limited extent (less than 10%) for making private copies.

www.government.nl