French National Assembly votes for a 5.5 cent per gigabyte tax, VideoLAN warns of costs

France's National Assembly has voted in favour of a tax of €0.055 per gigabyte of data. The levy is intended to be paid by large streaming and internet companies, with Netflix and Google named as examples 12. The vote has drawn a reaction from VideoLAN, the organisation behind the widely used VLC media player, which has raised an alarm about the measure 12.

The figures in the sources are limited but clear. The proposed rate is 5.5 euro cents for each gigabyte, and the companies expected to pay are Netflix, Google and others, according to the reports 12. VideoLAN says it fears the tax could cost it more than €1 million a year 12. The sources do not say how the tax would be calculated in practice, when it would take effect, or whether non-commercial software projects such as VLC would actually fall within its scope.

The case matters for Europe because it shows how a data-volume levy designed with large platforms in mind could also worry smaller, open-source developers. VideoLAN's concern is that a charge of this kind could reach organisations far smaller than the companies it appears to target 12. The sources do not describe the next legislative steps, so it remains unclear whether the proposal will be amended, confirmed or challenged. Further detail on the scope of the tax and any exemptions would be needed to judge its real impact on VLC and similar projects 12.