Gov’t to reconsider copyright levy, minister says

Greece’s left-led government will reconsider a controversial decision to impose a one-off 2 percent levy on electronic appliances such as smartphones, tablets and computers, Digital Policy Minister Nikos Pappas has said.

The levy,  included in an amendment tabled in Parliament Tuesday, is in favor of copyright holders.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Pappas defended the need for copyright levies, but cautioned against measures that could drive the public away from new technologies.

On Tuesday, the Federation of Hellenic Information Technology & Communications Enterprises (SEPE) spoke of an “unfair” and “anti-growth” levy that is alien to European reality.

The sector’s total burden from the levy (which will mainly affect importers as well as assemblers of smartphones, PCs etc), is estimated at 65 million euros per year; in proportion to the market, this is 24 times higher than the levy introduced in Spain, and the cost is certain to be passed on to consumers.