Whenever I hear about these levies, I always wonder what's stopping someone from spinning up a 'record label' and attempting to claim the funds.

Don't know about other countries but in France it's a private monopoly granted by the law, you can't create one.

Not sure how that's legal either with antitrust laws but that's low it works.

(And it's as opaque as it sounds)

Private monopoly in Sweden too. But at least they're not hiding the fact that 22.5 % of the money they collect go to their own administration costs rather than to artists...

https://issuu.com/ymrkommunikation/docs/23-1643_copyswede_fb...