Dekuzu Posts

“Implementation of internet technologies should be made an aggravating circumstance if they have been used at commitment of crime” – believes Elena Mizulina, the member of the Russian council of federation. But how to prove that the person has used internet, so to say, has implemented internet technologies, is still not clear.

The European Cloud Initiative will build on a trusted, open environment for the scientific community to store, share and re-use scientific data and results: the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). Underpinning this, the new European Data Infrastructure (EDI) aims to deploy the super-computing capacity, fast connectivity and high-capacity cloud solutions required by the EOSC. This initiative will bring together existing and new data infrastructures.

The European Commission is inviting (de) comments from interested parties on commitments offered by Paramount Pictures to address competition concerns relating to contractual clauses preventing the cross-border provision of pay-TV services.

Digitisation of industry would create an additional €110 billion of revenue for industry per year in Europe over the next five years. Companies will be able to develop new products, processes and business models that can provide improved safety and greater comfort for users. They will be able to sell personalised products at mass production cost, and they can optimise the use of energy and other resources. Digitisation can help to solve issues related to an ageing society (people can stay longer at home), use less energy (for instance, city lightning that only switches on when it is needed), monitor the environment, etc.

Russian Union of Right holders (RSP) is authorised by Russian State to collect private copying levy on an exclusive basis – so called accreditation. RSP takes 1% from price of taxable equipment and media. Russian business ombudsman Boris Titov proposed to give such exclusive authority to collect private copying levy to relevant state authority – Federal Custom Service (FCS) or Federal Tax Service (FTS).

Deputy of Russian state duma from political party “Fair Russia” has proposed new system of taxation for foreign films. The rates of “progressive profits tax” would depend on quantity of cinemas where foreign films are showed. In case if film is showed in 80-100% of cinemas in country the rate would be 20%, in a case of 60-80% the rate would be 15%, in a case of 40-60% the rate would be 10%, in a case of 20-40% the rate would be 5, in a case of less than 20% the rate would be 0%.

Russian IP ombudsman Anatoly Semenov has accused Russian accredited CMOs – Russian Authors Society (RAO), All-Russian Organisation of Intellectual Property (VOIS) and Russian Union of Right holders (RSP) – and Russian Ministry of Culture (MinCult) of conflict of interests. Ministerial officials are affiliated with CMOs.

Constitutional committee of Russian state duma believes additional responsibility and fines for owners of news aggregators are too excessive. Moreover fines are not proportionate to provisions of Russian administrative code. Committee members also mentioned there is no definition of “news…

Russian Media-Communication Union (MCU) developed draft law aiming to exclude standard way for right holders to get royalty for use of their music in TV and movies (synchronisation licencing). Copy of this draft law has obtained Vedomosti. Industry is discussing this legislative initiative. Actually it was made in response to Russian state accreditation. If you can’t beat it – eliminate it. This proposition is of “preliminary character”.

This draft law, as it is promised, will lose its provisions requiring news aggregators to verify information prior to publish it. Interfax was told by Leonid Levin, chairman of Russian state duma committee on informational policy, informational technologies and connection. All main companies-news aggregators have provided their assessments of, opinions on and propositions for this legislative initiative.