Remunerations due to artists for copied films and music have halved, as the price of new storage media does not include a levy for copying.
The impressive list of signatories includes famous Finnish culture personalities, such as Einojuhani Rautavaara, Heikki "Hector" Harma, Aki and Mika Kaurismäki, Pekka Kuusisto, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Maija Vilkkumaa, Jörn Donner, Chisu, Jenni Vartiainen, Tuomari Nurmio, Paleface, Anna-Leena Härkönen and Anja Snellman.
Income from the so-called blank tape levy, attached to copying devices and media, and set up to compensate artists for the private copying of their works, yields around six million euros annually. Only two years ago the same levy produced 12 million euros. Artists attribute the massive drop to the fact that no copying levy has been introduced into the price of newer storage media such a as memory sticks and mobile phones.
The present government has not added any new items onto the list of devices for which such a levy much be paid.
Lauri Kaila, the head of the campaign, says that people still continue to copy artistic works as much as before. This should be reflected in the artists’ income.
A 60-strong delegation of artists handed the petition to representatives of parliamentary groups on Tuesday. The petition will also be delivered to the President and government.