No private copy for DVD in France?

According to information published by the newspaper Les Echos a working
document of the Ministry of Culture on the draft copyright law excludes the
DVD from the private copy exception.

Representatives of the industry such as SEV (The Audio Edition Union)
consider such an approach will only acknowledge a reality. As Jean-Yves
Mirski, general delegate of SEV put it « for the DVD sold in the commerce
equipped with anti-copying systems, the notion of the private copy (which is
not a right but an exception) is not applied.”

On the other hand consumers associations such as UFC-Que Choisir think the
draft law also threatens the private copy of CDs and the legal downloading
of files. Mr. Dourgnon from UFC Que Choisir says the new law will create
confusion between the notion of the private copy and the exclusive copyright
of an author. The consumer will keep on paying for the private copy when
buying blank CDs and DVDs, while at the same time being restricted by DRM.

The debate follows a French court decision (in January 2006) protecting
the right to be able to read CDs on any device, in spite of any copy
protection. (See EDRI-gram 4.2)

This is not the first debate about the new draft copyright law that has
raised a lot of controversies after the adoption by the French National
Assembly of amendments that would legalise the exchange of music and video
files on the Internet, as private copies.

In order to stop criticicism about not having consulted opponents to
the draft law, the Minister of Culture will open a new debate website on 22
February 2006.

The Minister of Culture would like to forbid copying DVD (in French,
8.02.2006)
http://www.01net.com/editorial/304141/droit-d-auteur/le-ministere-de-la-culture-souhaiterait-interdire-la-copie-de-dvd/

EDRI-gram : A CD should work on any device, says French court (2.02.2006)
http://www.edri.org/edrigram/number4.2/privatecopy

DADVSI : one official site for debate (in French, 10.02.2006)
http://www.ratiatum.com/news2845_DADVSI_un_site_officiel_pour_debattre.html

French Parliament is making the first step in legalising P2P (18.01.2006)
http://www.edri.org/edrigram/number4.1/frenchp2p

New French debating website (after 22.02.2006)
http://www.lestelechargements.com