IPKAT (a great blog on European IP) has an interesting post about a scheme by Dutch DVD movie-distributors to avoid paying royalties. The scheme seems to sell and then buy back DVD-movies from consumers after they have viewed the films and thereby, since there is no sale, not have to pay a royalty.

The scheme is in limbo though because it was designed to be delivered over set-top boxes to televisions and steros and the hardware manufacturer has gone out of business.

One has to wonder how the European rental right would apply to such a scheme.

One also has to marvel at the continuing ingenuity of those wishing to withhold royalties from artists.