KabouterPlop used our newssubmit to tell us that Ukraine's President is bound to sign only a watered-down law on compact discs aimed at fighting piracy and slammed the United States for sanctions on $75 million goods due to take effect on Wednesday.
The United States had asked the Ukraine to control their piracy problem because of the losses of the entertainment industry in the US due large amount of pirated CD's made and sold in the Ukraine.
The bill, which aims to regulate CD production in Ukraine, one of Europe's leading producers of pirated music goods, was rushed through parliament last week. It was passed only after deputies amended a tougher government draft to exclude CDs that are transported through the country. They also relaxed stringent licensing requirements. |
U.S. and international recording industry officials have condemned the law as falling far short of what Ukraine needs to do to battle the piracy that globally costs their industry hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
The $75 million in U.S. sanctions on Ukrainian metals, footwear and other goods are equal to what the country estimates it loses due to the piracy of music compact discs and other optical media products in Ukraine.
Pirated copies of CDs that sell for more $15 or more in Western Europe cost only about $3 in the capital Kiev. Ukrainian government officials have acknowledged the new bill might be unacceptable to U.S authorities. The United States is expected to impose sanctions as a result on January 23.
Well of course the United States should not expect this country to do whatever they say, but a country should not expect to have the US not take sanctions when they don't. It's all about the Benjamins baby !
Source: Yahoo.com
