The Ministry of Culture has prepared a draft resolution of the Government of the RF on amendments to the resolution on remuneration for the free reproduction of phonograms and audiovisual works for personal purposes (hereinafter – the draft resolution).
In accordance with the Civil Code, authors, performers, producers of phonograms and audiovisual works have the right to remuneration for the free reproduction of phonograms and audiovisual works for personal purposes (remuneration for private copying). Such remuneration is compensatory in nature and is paid to copyright holders at the expense of funds that are payable by manufacturers and importers of equipment and tangible media used for such reproduction (audio-visual equipment, smartphones, tablets, computers and laptops, recordable CD and DVD discs, memory cards and other goods).
The collection of funds for the payment of remuneration is carried out by the organization for the management of copyright and (or) related rights on a collective basis - the Russian Union of Copyright Holders.
In the current economic conditions, the logistics chains of importing equipment and material carriers have been reoriented to import these goods to Russia through the territories of other member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). In this regard, the import of equipment and material carriers in the form of direct deliveries to Russia in March - May 2022 decreased by more than four times compared to the same period last year, which led to a proportional decrease in the amount of remuneration for private copying collected and paid to copyright holders.
The situation with a sharp drop in the income of copyright holders from the collection of remuneration for private copying is aggravated by the fact that in the EEU member states, through which the relevant goods are currently mainly imported to Russia, the collection of this remuneration is not actually carried out.
The draft resolution proposes to extend the obligation to pay the fee in favor of copyright holders, including importers who import goods intended for free reproduction of phonograms and audiovisual works for personal purposes to the RF from the territories of the EEU member states.
We are ready to promptly answer media questions, provide journalists with the necessary information about the work of the Association, comment on news issues related to music and related areas.