(Toronto) — The levy rates for private copying onto blank audio recording media will remain unchanged beyond December 31, 2005 through an interim tariff, the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) announced today. The Copyright Board of Canada agreed to the CPCC’s request to extend the current tariff rates until the next set of public hearings are held some time next year and a new tariff is certified.

The levy rates have remained constant since 2001, through two public hearings. Consumers will continue to pay a levy of 21 cents on blank CDs, 29 cents on blank tapes and 77 cents on blank MiniDiscs as a royalty to music creators for making a private copy of recorded music.

“When the Copyright Act was revised in 1998 to create the private copying regime, the legislators enacted an exemption to the exclusive rights of copyright holders in music, which permitted Canadians to make private copies for their own personal use. In exchange, legislators provided for a royalty on certain blank audio recording media. The levy, or royalty payment, ensures that rights holders in recorded music receive some compensation for their work and investment,” said Claudette Fortier, Chair of the CPCC.

The CPCC is the non-profit agency that collects the royalty and distributes it to its member collectives, which represent song writers, composers, music publishers, recording artists, musicians and record companies.

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For more information about CPCC and the tariff, please visit http://cpcc.ca

Or contact:
Alison Thompson
CPCC
tel. (416) 486-6832, ex. 221
email: [email protected]