2023-12-14 00:47:09
The subject has divided the French music industry for more than a year. The government announced on Wednesday the implementation of a tax on the turnover of online music listening platforms from 2024, requested by President Macron.
This compulsory contribution, which must finance the French music sector, will be “based on a very low rate of levy on the turnover of the streaming platforms” concerned, indicated the Ministry of Culture. The exact terms of the tax have not yet been revealed, nor the annual amount that it should bring in, and which should finance the sector.
It has already been the subject of a positive vote in the Senate in November, during the examination of the 2024 draft budget. “After government arbitration, the finance bill for 2024 will confirm the creation of a contribution from the platforms streaming,” the ministry said.
Funding of the CNM
Its objective: to finance the National Music Center (CNM), a body created in 2020, to support the French music industry, like the CNC for cinema, but which has so far been mainly financed by entertainment companies. alive.
It was therefore the promoters of a compulsory checkout of online music listening platforms who won, like Prodiss, the union of music producers and broadcasters. “We are delighted that the government has taken this decision, supported by the deputies and senators,” reacted its general director Malika Séguineau, considering that it was “the only system which allows us to provide the CNM with lasting and sustainable financing. balance “.
“After long months of consultation and discussions, we must now look to the future, with a fully operational CNM from 2024 serving the ambition for the music industry,” she continued. Six industry organizations had already welcomed the Senate vote at the end of November, while platforms like Deezer and number one Spotify are fighting this measure, a “new production tax”, according to them.
“Unfair”
These opponents hoped to convince with a simple voluntary contribution. On Wednesday, they tried again to tip the scales, affirming in a joint press release that they had reached an agreement, bringing together Apple, Deezer, Meta, Spotify, YouTube and TikTok, to mobilize “more than 14 million euros” in 2025.
“We take note of the government’s decision, which does not take into account the efforts made by many platforms including Spotify,” lamented the Swedish platform. “This is a real blow to innovation and to the growth prospects of recorded music in France. We are evaluating the follow-up to be given to the implementation of this unfair, unjust and disproportionate measure,” she added.
The idea of a tax dates back to June 21, the day of the Music Festival, when Emmanuel Macron raised the prospect of taxing streaming revenues if the music industry did not agree on new ways of financing music. creation, and had set September 30, 2023 as the deadline.
The presidency relied on a report from Senator Julien Bargeton (Renaissance), delivered in April. The latter recommended a tax of 1.75% on revenue from paid music streaming and free music streaming financed by advertising. In the fall of 2022, the debates focused on a mandatory contribution of 1.5% of revenue from paid subscriptions on music platforms.
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