EU court rules hotels must pay copyright fees for TV

The European Court of Justice ruled Thursday that hotels that have television sets in their rooms must respect copyright rules, making them liable to pay fees.

The court found that according to European Union law a television set in a private room is used by the public and is therefore covered by copyright laws.

The GESAC association, which represents authors and composers, hailed the ruling as an "important decision, because it sets a precedent that will guide member states' courts" in similar cases.

GESAC secretary general Virginie Desbrosses said "there are still some hotels that consider that rooms are private spaces and that they don't have to pay copyright".

The court delivered the ruling in a case brought by the body responsible for the management of intellectual property rights in Spain, SGAE, against hotel chain Rafael Hoteles.

SGAE had lodged a complaint that Rafael Hoteles had breached copyright rules by not paying fees for the televisions in its rooms.