It's simple to answer why they are able to pull this off: There's a law for that, a law that dates back to the introduction of tape drives. Back then, there were two options:

1. Allow copying for private purposes, introduce a flat fee on empty media (tapes back then, later cassettes, cd-roms, ...)

2. Ban all private copying, prosecute it at all costs. Ban tape drives, control all technology that can be used for private copying.

3. Copy as copy can, no one gets paid. Ignore that this may be an issue for people that depend on producing (music, films, ...)

The (IMHO wise) decision was to stick with option (1), so that's where we're at. The GEMA and ZPÜ, as much hate is directed at them and as much as is wrong with them, are tasked with collection that fee. It's their job and they do it, even if it's unpopular. It's a bit like the Finanzamt (IRS). You don't have to like them, but at least keep in mind that they're doing what they have to.

Now, one may argue that the current system is not suitable for the digital age where empty media is used for so much more than copying audio, or even that the whole GEMA system should be abandoned - and I'm actually on your side in that respect - but well, that's a different topic.

You could also appeal to the regulatory body and argue that the price is too high, and that's what the bitcom rightfully does, but then you'd have to settle on an acceptable price. So what's acceptable? I don't have an answer, do you? They'll eventually figure this out and the high prices demanded are part of their negotiation strategy.

That was back in what, the 50s and 60s? I completly agree that the system worked back then. But in the 21st century well you can't adopt to new times by charging more from everyone you can. By doing simply that, you will pervert the very idea behind the system. It seems, at least to me, that the systems somehow developed a life by itself. And since that life currently fits into a lot of agendas, nobody will do something about it.

I agree with you that the system does not fit with current times. It's fundamentally incapable of dealing with such basic things as the fact that copying is now digital and lossless, filesharing or the internet as a whole. But still, it's the system we currently have and since we all agreed to some rules we should stick to the rules while we try and find a consensus what the new rules should look like. And part of those rules is that there is a levy on empty media, as much as we both might hate it.