The Council of Ministers and the European Parliament have reached an agreement over the 'Droit de Suite' Directive to harmonise the system of artists' resale rights in Member States. The Council and the European Parliament have decided that the minimum sale price from which artists may demand a resale right would be set at a threshold of 3000 whilst the amendment proposed by Parliament to abolish the maximum ceiling for royalties which artists receive was kept at 12,5000 due to strong opposition from the UK. Member States will need incorporate the Directive into their national legislation within four years from 1 January 2002. Member States which do not reapply the resale right on the date of publication of this Directive in the Official Journal (Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK) can continue not to apply it for a period expiring not later than 1 January 2010.