CPCC wants to fine Canadians buying memory cards, even those that aren't copying music

Canadian consumers just can't seem to get a break. It is almost as if we're walking around with a huge bullseye on our rear ends while groups like the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) find new and creative ways to skewer consumers with absurd levies. This new proposed levy targets memory cards, thumbdrives and pretty much any type of writeable media used to make copies.

We're all for compensating artists for their work, but that's not the issue here.

How about consumers who use said memory cards for things other than music or videos like storing original photographs, documents and personal information?

Will all these people be subjected to this asinine blanket levy? This isn't the first time consumers have been targeted by CPCC. The group clamoured for a tax on flash memory cards  back in 2003. In 2007, they proposed for a tax of between $2 and $10 for each flash memory card sold and up to $75 for each Apple iPod or PMP (Personal Media Player) sold to consumers.

Hit jump to see the press release on the proposed levy.

THE CPCC SEEKS LEVY ON ELECTRONIC MEMORY CARDS

(Toronto) – The Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) has asked the Copyright Board of Canada to set a levy on electronic memory cards in order to compensate artists and other rights holders for the copies of recorded music that are made for private use onto this type of recording medium.

The Copyright Board has published the proposed Private Copying Tariff for 2012 and 2013 on its website http://www.cb-cda.gc.ca/. The proposed tariff for 2012-13 would leave the existing levy of 29 cents on CD-Rs unchanged. The levy rates for electronic memory cards would vary depending upon memory card capacity, with proposed rates ranging from 50 cents to $3. The current tariff expires on December 31, 2011.

"A copy is a copy, regardless of whether it was made on a CD-R or a memory card," said Annie Morin, Chair of the CPCC. "That copy has value, and a levy on the blank media used to make it ensures that the artists, songwriters and other rights holders receive the compensation to which they are entitled. It's a matter of fairness."

The CPCC had requested a private copying levy on electronic memory cards in 2003-04. However, the Copyright Board declined to grant a levy, stating that it was not satisfied by the evidence the CPCC was able to present at that time. CPCC Chair Morin said, "The CPCC believes that the evidence now shows that electronic memory cards are ordinarily used by Canadians to copy music. Consequently, the CPCC has requested that a levy be applied to these cards."

No other new levies are being sought under the tariff proposal, although the CPCC continues to advocate that the Copyright Act be amended to include the extension of the private copying levy to MP3 players.

The private copying levy is an important source of revenue for music rights holders. In place since 1999, the private copying levy provides remuneration to songwriters, music publishers, recording artists, musicians, and record companies in recognition of the fact that Canadians copy hundreds of millions of tracks of recorded music for their own private use.

Established in 1999, the CPCC is an umbrella organization whose member collectives represent songwriters, composers, music publishers, recording artists, musicians and record companies. The CPCC is the non-profit organization responsible for collecting and distributing private copying levies.