[Sussex] This is appalling... Dutch Pass iPod Tax

[Paul Turner]

Gareth Ablett wrote:

> From: Paul Turner [mailto:pturner at rentokil.com]
> Subject: [Sussex] This is appalling... Dutch Pass iPod Tax
>  
>
>>Just read this on slashdot:
>>
>>An anonymous reader writes /"The Register is reporting that in a few
>>short months a proposal to tax all MP3 players in the Netherlands will
>>become law
>>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/27/netherlands_ipod_tax/
>>
>>The levy taxes 3.28 euros ($4.30 US) for every gigabyte of capacity.
>>    
>>
>This
>  
>
>>means a 60GB iPod Photo will be hit for an additional 196 euros
>>    
>>
>($258),
>  
>
>>all of it going to the record industry's copyright collection
>>    
>>
>agencies.
>  
>
>>And they call file sharers thieves?"
>>
>>http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/05/04/29/0537213.shtml?tid=176&tid=98/
>>
>>    
>>
>
>I can see the reason behind it with the amount of illegal mp3 downloads
>still going on but that would probably just stop people buying the damn
>things.
>
>Anyway isn't an iPod photo for storage of photos aswell so technically
>if one was not to use for music then they shouldn't charge.
>  
>

I can see the reasoning behind it too. 

But consider this.  What do they classify as an mp3 player?

I have recently purchased a new PC with a 160GB harddisk that came 
pre-installed with the software to play mp3's.  Technically from an mp3 
playing perspective there's not much difference, a hard disk and some 
pre installed software/firmware.

Now under the proposed Dutch law I would pay 524.80 EUR, about 350.00 
GBP additional tax.  Thats more than I paid in total!

And this is already happening in Germany, there is a tax on all hard 
drives (I don't kow how much).

I appreciate that mp3 priacy is a _BIG_ problem, but we could all end up 
paying for it indirectly in the long term if this sets a precident.. 

And if I people do end up paying extra hundreds of pounds in an 
anti-priacy tax, I could easily see this actually encourging piracy...





-- 

*/Paul Turner/*
Applications Team Leader
*Rentokil Initial* Corporate IT

EMail: pturner at rentokil.com DDI: +44 (0) 1342 332 677 Telephone: +44 (0) 
1342 327 171 Fax: +44 (0) 1342 332 551

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