TV licence fee for computers?
Extending the levy to people with a computer but no television is being considered
NEXT year the TV licence may be payable by people who have a computer but no television.
The potential change was suggested by the Culture Minister. It comes after reflection in recent years on the fact more and more people watch television on their computer screens over the internet, bypassing the need to pay the licence fee.
At present the fee, now known as the contribution à l'audiovisuel public, is payable by anyone with a television in their home (or one of their homes). It goes towards helping fund public service television (France Télévisions, Radio France, Arte...).
The issue will form part of the debate on next year’s budget, at the end of this year, said the minister, Aurélie Fillipetti.
“Today a lot of television is going to be watched over computers, so extending the TV licence fee is a question that must be asked. However it would still be one fee per home, not one for the computer and one for the TV.”
The fee, usually known by its old name of redevance audiovisuelle, is €125 this year. It is paid along with the taxe d’habitation and is paid just once per family group/household, even if the family owns multiple homes.
Photo: © Tomasz Trojanowski
