Apple is coming under new accusations today for reportedly witholding payments due from ‘copy tax’, from iPads sold in France. French publication Les Echos is reporting that Apple is refusing to pay the tax on 64GB iPads sold in 2011, and is now coming under-fire.
Apple reportedly owes a total of €4.74 million ($6.3 million), which comes from the 500,000 iPads sold in France during 2011.
So what is a copy tax exactly?
Apple, Nokia, Motorola, Sony-Ericsson, RIM, and more are required to pay a €12 tax on 64GB devices and higher that allow customers to produce their own media for personal use. Copie France, a company that works to protect artist’s rights, is hoping to collect the money from Apple.
It’s worth noting that a French court dismissed the tax on 64GB tablets for the year of 2012. That’s why Apple and other companies are protesting and not paying 2011’s taxes.
We’ll see how this plays out in French courts.