Legal issues related to OTT services need to be improved in Armenia, Director of Armenian Internet Traffic Exchange Foundation ArmIX, Vahan Hovsepyan, told Armenian News – NEWS.am.

The issue gets more complicated in view of the fact that significant part of the services are provided by international operators. It is difficult to imagine Skype or WhatsApp pay taxes in Armenia. On the other hand, local OTT service providers—including internet TV, Zangi messenger and many others—are considered to be taxpayers like others.

According to Hovsepyan, local operators broadcasting films, music or programs, also pay — at least they should—for copyright, whereas a foreign content provider having users in Armenia pays neither to authors nor to the Armenian Tax Service.  

“The issue is new and pressing, [including] in Russia and other countries. [But] there is no single approach to its solution yet, mostly because it is unclear how to treat the service from abroad,” the director said.

These and other issues, which it is planned to raise at ArmIGF internet governance forum in fall 2017, are currently being discussed with relevant ministries (Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies).