Dentists wasting hundreds on ‘unwarranted’ PRS fees

PRS for MusicUK dentists could be wasting hundreds of pounds by paying fees to PRS for Music.

The case of Società Consortile Fonografici v Marco Del Corso found that broadcasting music within private dental practices in Italy does not entitle the practice to pay any remuneration.

The UK remains a member state of the European Union and while the UK remains a member state it continues to benefit from the rights, and remain bound by the obligations, under the treaties,’ The Court of Justice of the European Union recently told Dentistry.co.uk’s Neel Kothari, seeking further clarification on this.

‘Judgments of the Court of Justice of the EU apply to all member states.’

‘Ludicrous fees’

Dental practices have to pay PPL and PRS for Music in order to be licensed to play music in their practices.

The case of Società Consortile Fonografici v Marco Del Corso applies to Italian law and was previously not understood to have applied to UK law.

The response from The Court of Justice of the European Union implies that dental practices should not have to pay this according to EU law.

The decision by the European Courts in 2012 makes perfect sense,’ Neel Kothari, practice owner and regular contributor to Dentistry.co.uk, says.

‘Of course patients don’t come to dental practices to listen to music, so why should we allow ourselves as a profession to once again be forced into paying ludicrous fees for a service we are not benefitting from.

‘The EU courts have jurisdiction over this matter and if they are happy to exempt us from payment, why should we be forced to keep paying this unfair tax?

‘UK dentistry is not a bottomless pit and every penny wasted on fees like this indirectly affects patient care.

‘If PRS feels that it is somehow exempt from this EU ruling, it really needs to explain why, as an organisation, it is above EU law.

‘In my opinion, if we have been mislead into paying unwarranted fees, we may be entitled to a refund going back many years in a similar way to the PPI scandal.’

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