Several online news reports claim the European Commission plans to class video-capable digital still cameras as camcorders and tax them accordingly.

 

March 24, 2007: Several online news reports claim the European Commission plans to class video-capable digital still cameras as camcorders and tax them accordingly.
The predicted 4.9% customs duty is forecast to take effect in June or July 2007, with the tariff mainly affecting international camera brands including Sony, Canon, Nikon and Kodak, according to industry sources in Taiwan. The Japan-based Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has been lobbying to prevent the imposition of the customs duty, but the EU is likely to realise its plan, the sources indicated. Currently, camcorders that are imported into European markets from a non-European country only attract an import duty of 12.5% if they can also record images direct from a television, in the same way as a video recorder.