NEWS FROM FRANCE AND RUSSIA

France cuts levy on flash memory devices

Playlist reports that France is to cut its levy on flash memory devices. Although it is legal to copy music for private use in France, copyright-holders recoup royalties through a levy on media that can be used for copying such as blank cassettes and hard-disks. Under the French Commission on Private Copying’s plans, the fee on flash drives will be brought into line with the less fee on hard disks. Apple in particular is expected to benefit from this move. Presently the levy on its 4GB iPod nano is more than twice that on its standard 60GB iPod because the nano utilises a flash memory device which the standard model operates on a hard disk. The IPKat think this sounds eminently sensible. If a distinction has to be made, it would make more sense to base this on the amount of copied music that the device can hold, rather than the technology by which the device operates.


Vodafone seeks to "regain" Russian trade mark

MosNews reports that British company Vodafone is to embark on legal action to have the Russian registration of VODAFONE transferred to it. The mark has been registered in Russia by another company that has not used it. However, the British company does not presently trade in Russia and says that it has no plans to do so.

The IPKat is in two minds about this one. It’s right that famous marks that could cause confusion, even if the mark owner is not trading in the territory in question, should not be used by others. However, the general principle is that if you don’t use your trade mark – or at least intend to use it – you lose it.