Sarkozy Government Allegedly Caught Red-Handed Infringing DVD Copyrights

While the French Constitutional Council is considering the constitutionality of the rabble-rouser HADOPI 2 law (IPW, Coopyright policy, 2 October 2009), pushed by the French government to authorise legal authorities to suspend internet access of alleged copyright infringers, French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s services allegedly made 400 unauthorised copies of a DVD over the summer. The DVD is a documentary on the French president, broadcasted on television in July. According to the self-proclaimed satirical French newspaper Le Canard Enchainé, Sarkozy’s services copied the DVD to be distributed during the 17th conference of French ambassadors in August in Paris. Where the shoe pinches is that the DVD cover was modified so that the original logos of the producers have been allegedly replaced by a French government audiovisual services logo, with all rights reserved.

According to French newspaper Libération, one of the producers half-heartedly said that the government services had called him to ask permission to make additional copies of the documentary but nothing was ever confirmed in writing. However, the swap of logos was a little unsettling for the producer, according to the newspaper, although he confirmed that there was no commercial prejudice since the DVD had been given for free. The newspaper recalled that under French legislation, this is no excuse and is still considered as infringement.