Cultural industries presented their new demands for the private copying levy at a meeting of the private copying commission at the Ministry of Culture on April 15. Amounts claimed on phones and tablets are soaring, and computers could be taxed for the first time ever. This price offensive promises to weigh on consumers’ wallets.
According to information from The Informedwhich reveals all the figures, the required increases are based on usage studies carried out in December 2024 by the CSA Institute. For the purchase of a new smartphone with more than 512 GB of storage, the tax would increase to 28.80 euros TTCan increase of more than 70% compared to the current ceiling set at 16.80 euros. Models between 128 and 256 GB would be taxed at 24 euros including tax, those between 256 and 512 GB at 26.40 euros including tax. The reconditioned market is experiencing a similar shock: a large capacity device would incur a fee of 17.28 euros including tax, an increase of more than 71% compared to the current 10.08 euros. On the tablet side, the tithe would increase from 16.80 euros to 31.20 euros TTC for new models over 512 GB.
The real revolution: computers in the viewfinder
The big news concerns computers, which until now have been completely spared from this system since their appearance in French homes in the 1990s. Unlike smartphones where the scales vary according to storage capacity, rights holders here opt for a flat-rate approach: each new laptop (and tablet PC) would be taxed at 36 euros TTCand 21.60 euros for a reconditioned model. Desktop computers benefit from a slight leniency, taxed at 28.80 euros new and 17.28 euros used.
To try to put these increases into perspective, the rights holders presented a table stating that high capacity mobiles would sell “on average” 1,352 euros. In this case, the price charged to consumers represents around 2% of the total amount, but this average masks very different realities depending on the brand. Indeed, we can find models like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro at 349 euros or the Redmi Note 14 Pro at 299 euros. Reduced to this last price, the tax of 28.80 euros represents almost 10% of the sale price.
A colossal financial impact
The exception for private copying made it possible to collect 246 million euros in 2024. If the new scales were passed as is, the first estimates expect more than 400 million euros, an increase of more than 150 million. France thus establishes its status as world champion in technological taxation. As recalled The Informedciting the latest global study on private copying:
“Of the 196 countries studied, even before the vote on these new rates, France is already in the lead in collections, taking in a quarter of the sums. »
These proposals will now be the subject of tough negotiations. Within the commission, the 12 representatives of rights holders face the 6 manufacturers and the 6 consumer associations, including UFC-Que Choisir. After arbitration and final vote, the final amounts will be published in the Official Journal to enter into force on the first day of the following month.
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