Public Viewing: Intermediate decision against Uefa
Uefa has suffered a setback in its dispute with the copyright companies over the fees for public viewing at Euro 08. The Federal Administrative Court has withdrawn the suspensive effect of the football association's appeal.
Uefa has suffered a setback in its dispute with the copyright companies over the fees for public viewing at Euro 08. The Federal Administrative Court has withdrawn the suspensive effect of the football association's appeal. This means that, for the time being, the tariff adopted by the Arbitration Commission for the Exploitation of Copyrights in April will continue to apply. The Commission thus granted Suisa, as the representative of the copyright societies, the right to charge license fees for public viewing. The tariff had been suspended in the meantime due to Uefa's complaint (see
). Following Thursday's interim decision, Suisa will now continue to issue licenses, as Suisa spokesman Martin Wüthrich told the SDA news agency in response to an inquiry. Uefa has been charging license fees for public viewing events since July 2007. It justifies this by stating that it is producing the television images itself for the first time in the history of the European Football Championship. However, the Uefa fees are controversial among legal experts.
The dispute over public viewing fees concerns large screens measuring more than three meters diagonally. Hosts, clubs, municipalities and other interested parties do not need a Uefa license for smaller screens, but must pay a Suisa fee.
). Following Thursday's interim decision, Suisa will now continue to issue licenses, as Suisa spokesman Martin Wüthrich told the SDA news agency in response to an inquiry. Uefa has been charging license fees for public viewing events since July 2007. It justifies this by stating that it is producing the television images itself for the first time in the history of the European Football Championship. However, the Uefa fees are controversial among legal experts.
The dispute over public viewing fees concerns large screens measuring more than three meters diagonally. Hosts, clubs, municipalities and other interested parties do not need a Uefa license for smaller screens, but must pay a Suisa fee.
