Some French news sources are reporting that the Paris Court of Appeals has granted UFC-Que Choisir (a French consumer protection organization), a prohibition on DVD copy protection devices, because they are incompatible with private copying rights. Two companies, Les Films Alain Sarde and Studio Canal, had originally won this case in August 2004 but have been dealt a major setback with this ruling. UFC-Que Choisir supported a consumer who was unable to copy his Mulholland Drive DVD to a VHS tape to watch at his mothers.
A request for damages and interest by UFC-Que Choisir against Studio Canal was refused by the court however but the case was not about money for UFC-Que Choisir. The association is delighted with the ruling. But for the delegate general of the Video Producers Association, Jean-Yves Mirski, the decision is "worrisome" at least. The VPA has not yet decided whether to appeal the decision to a higher court (the Court of Cassation) but it is far from out of the question. In any case, according to Jean-Yves Mirski, this judicial turn of events "directly contradicts the European Copyright Directive."
Source:
01Net (French)
AllPeers.com (English Translation of original article)
Thanks again to AlienTiger who submitted the news to us using the News Submission form.












