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European Commission To Raise Camera Costs in Europe
An anonymous reader writes "According to a recent CNET article, digital camera costs could increase in Europe as result of trade inequalities. 'At the moment, all digital cameras are manufactured outside Europe. They're all imported. All of them. Currently, there's a European Commission-imposed 4.9 per cent import tariff on camcorders, but not on cameras, whatever their video-recording abilities. The EC's Nomenclature Committee has cottoned on to this and wants to slap a tax on cameras that can record at least 30 minutes of video in one go, with a resolution of 800x600 pixels or higher at 23 frames per second or higher. The Nomenclature Committee has recommended the proposal but has not, as yet, garnered the required majority vote.'" Update: 07/23 02:18 GMT by Z : Took out a bit of hyperbole.
I guess that if it is happening we're gonna see on the box written clearly in cubic letters "PLEASE DONT GO TO THIS ADDRESS TO UPGRADE THE CAMERA BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL". You hit the point! I add another few examples that come from real life.
:D => Most mopeds built now have a bigger engine castrated by "firmware" (Electronic injection) that consume and perform as much as the previous model BUT fall into the new standard imposed by the eurocrats. Since the engine is more capable there there always been keen people able to trick it for a price (also stands true for BMW limitators on bigger cars).
Italian Limits for 14Y/O motorbikes: A motorbike to be driven by a 14y/o boy has to obej there rules - Cubature Less than 50CC - Less than 5HP - Max speed less than 45Km/h. As we all know anyone riding a bike is hungry power and speed let alone if he's 14 y/o and likes taking unuseful risks. The moped industry adapted promptly => It is usual for those motorbikes to ship with a "diopter" that can be removed by anyone with a little knowledge and a screwdriver - thought the operation is illegal most do it. After the operation you get a screaming monster capable of 80Km/h
Euro3 limits for pollution: These are limits to the quantity of pollution that approved engines can emit. They are classified into classes cubic centimeters. What happens is that if the engine is big enought it can emit more CO2 and still fall into the limits. What was the response of the moped industry?