Paying for home-copying
Are you a manufacturer or importer of, or trader in blank image and sound carriers, or of devices that are used by consumers to make copies, such as computers or smartphones? In the Netherlands you must pay a fee in order to partially compensate copyright owners for the loss of income due to home-copying.
Who must pay the home-copying fee?
You have to pay a home-copying fee if you are a manufacturer, importer of, or trader in:
- blank (empty) image and/or sound carriers, such as external hard disk drives, flash drives (USB sticks,) and e-readers
- devices that can be used by consumers to make copies, such as PCs, laptops, tablets, MP3 players, smartphones, USB sticks, and wearables
There is no home-copying fee on blank CDs and DVDs
How much do you have to pay?
The amount of the fee depends on the type of carrier or device. You can pass on the costs in the retail price of your products. The fee is collected by the Dutch Home-Copying Foundation (Stichting de Thuiskopie). They make sure that the collected fees reach the artists and authors.
Registration and statement
You must report the number of products (see links at the bottom of the page, in Dutch) you have manufactured in or imported into the Netherlands to the Dutch Home-Copying Foundation. You submit the statement immediately upon completion of production or immediately upon import. To be able to do so, you must first register with the Foundation (in Dutch).
Exemption or refund for professional user
Do you use the devices only for business purposes within your own workplace? And do you not sell them? If so, you are a professional end user and you may be exempted from paying (in Dutch). Or you may be eligible for a refund of previously paid fees. To be eligible, you have to register as a professional user with the Dutch Home-Copying Foundation.
There are stricter rules around exemptions from payment for smartphones and other phones with mp3 players. The user has to be able to prove that the device is solely used for professional ends.
Refund for export
Will your product not be marketed in the Netherlands? But will you export the goods for which you have already paid home-copying fees? You can apply for a refund to the Foundation (in Dutch).