Different hotel federations have described as outrageous a recent law from the European Court of Justice that hotels should pay royalties for the broadcast of music on TVs and radios in hotel bedrooms. Personally, I believe it would generate extra costs on the hotel guests, and its implementation is a very bad idea.
EU law provides for remuneration for those who produce recordings for commercial purposes, but allows for exemptions for “private use”. The court considered whether such broadcasts in hotel bedrooms were private or public use.The case will now go back to the High Court for a decision based on the interpretation provided by the European Court of Justice.
