[…] [In the Netherlands] downloading and copying movies and music for personal use is not punishable by law. In return, the Dutch compensate rightsholders through a “piracy levy” on writable media, hard drives and electronic devices with storage capacity, including smartphones.
In a landmark ruling, the European Court of Justice has declared this system unlawful. The case was brought by several electronics stores and manufacturers, whose products were made more expensive because of the levy.
In its judgment the Court held that the levy system is a threat to the internal market and that it puts copyright holders at an unfair disadvantage. […]
The Netherlands Must Outlaw Downloading, EU Court Rules (Update)