<aside> 💡 Disclaimer: While this Infobase strives for a sufficient first overview of obligations related to Copyright Levy and its content has been researched responsibly, we cannot ensure all information is accurate and uptodate. We highly recommend to instruct a legal expert as each country has different laws to observe. Links to recommended legal experts are provided at the end.

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Introduction

This Infobase aims to provide an overview to common questions regarding copyright levy related to selling refurbished storage media devices.

“Copyright Levy” is the umbrella term for the country-specific protection of copyright holders. Synonyms would be “Storage Media Levy” or “Private Copy Levy”. These are lump-sum payments that are economically borne by the consumers, while they are legally due ****by primarily manufacturers and importers, secondly distributors. ****The levy may be and is generally included in the purchase price.

General consensus throughout Europe

When storage media devices are sold from abroad directly to end-consumers (including cross-border online trade), the levies for these products must be paid in the country of the end-consumer.

<aside> 💡 In a nutshell, Copyright Levy is due when the following 3 facts apply:

1. You sell a storage media device (i.e. smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, etc.)
2. For the first time in an(other) EU-Member State and
3. Sold to an end-consumer (including businesses). </aside>

FAQs

• Why do copyright levies even exist?
• Is the levy different in each Member State?
• What is a storage media device?
• Who is claiming the copyright levy?
• Why do I have to pay the copyright fee if I am not the manufacturer (e.g. Apple, Samsung, etc)?
• Do I have to pay copyright levy for a refurbished product?
• Is the copyright levy subject to VAT?
• What about B2B customers?
• Do I have to provide proofs to the collecting society?
• How can I prove that the copy right was paid already?
• Are there exceptions?