P2P debate continues in French political circles as the country's government this week put forward new proposals to parliament in a bid to put to an end to talk of a blanket licence for file sharing online.
As previously reported, file sharing has been a politically contentious issue in France ever since opposition MPs amended the government's previous anti-P2P proposals so that they actually legalised the sharing of music online with a system that would compensate content owners by charging a copyright levy on internet service provider subscriptions. Those proposals were opposed by both government ministers and senior executives across the entertainment industries, the latter of whom got together a group of high profile artists to speak out in support of anti-P2P measures.
The new proposals from the French government include compromises aimed at placating opposition MPs and the consumer rights groups who have been lobbying them regarding legalising P2P. Suggested fines and prison sentences for people who share large quantities of music online have been toned down considerably, while other proposals would put in place controls regarding the use of digital rights management technology by content owners. While the proposed laws would recognise the rights of content owners to use DRM, they would also force the right for consumers to be able to make a limited number of private copies of tracks. There are also proposals to force software companies to ensure all DRM technologies work on all digital music devices - a move that could have radical implications for Apple whose proprietary DRM famously only works with Apple manufactured devices.
Moves to end talk of legitimatising P2P have been welcomed by music industry, although caution has been expressed regarding some of the other new proposals. Frances Moore, Regional Director For Europe for the International Federation Of The Phonographic Industry said rejecting any system that legimitised P2P would be "the right decision", but added: "We remain concerned at a number of other amendments still on the table relating to private copying and the use of technical measures and urge the French Assembly to adhere to the language and spirit of the EU Copyright Directive".