THE SPANISH SUPREME COURT REVERSES THE COPYRIGHT LEVY SYSTEM

22-December-2016
The Spanish Supreme Court repelle don November 10 the Royal Decree that allocated the compensation for private copy to the State anual Budget (Real Decreto 1657/2012 of 7 December) as it did not guarantee the cost of compesation was burdened on actual users of such copies.
The Court of Justice of the European Union had previously in its ruling Padawan decided that the Spanish system of private copy compensation, that levied storing equipment regardless of its actual use, was against European law. The Spanish Government then decided to charge these levies to the State Annual Budget.


The Supreme Court has based their decision to overturn the Royal Decree in the same European Court doctrine. We will now have to wait for the development of a new system in harmony with European law.