Japan's embassy in Russia has asked the Economic Development Ministry and the State Duma to change the current system of copyright fees for importers of consumer electronics, a news report said Wednesday.
Japanese manufacturers are unhappy about the makeup of the list of appliances on which the fee is charged.
They have also pointed out that currently there is a legally binding requirement to conclude an agreement with the Russian Union of Right Holders and no sanctions for non-payment, Kommersant reported, citing a letter sent by the embassy.
According to the Civil Code, all local manufacturers and importers of data storage devices and recording equipment — mobile phones, computers and MP3 players — have to pay 1 percent of the product's value to the Russian Union of Right Holders.
The union, headed by film director Nikita Mikhalkov, collected more than a billion rubles ($33 million) in copyright fees in 2012, Kommersant reported.
Meanwhile, one of the major importers of consumer electronics, Japan's Panasonic, has not been able to conclude an agreement with the Russian Union of Right Holders, while being exposed to pressure from law enforcement agencies.
Since March 2012, the company's Russian branch has received several requests for compliance reports from the Simonovsky inter-district prosecutor's office in Moscow, followed by similar requests from the Interior Ministry's main directorate for Moscow, the embassy said.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has sided with the Russian Union of Right Holders. In its official response to the letter sent by the Japanese Embassy, the ministry said current copyright law "fully complies with the accepted international principles and standards" and does not discriminate against foreign companies.
The Russian Union of Right Holders confirmed that Panasonic is one of the few foreign companies that have not concluded an agreement on paying the copyright fee yet.
The company currently owes about 60 million rubles in unpaid fees, a source familiar with the situation told Kommersant.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
