It sounds to me like the local bureaucrats are simply trying to raise revenues (taxes) buy a clever little licensing scheme. If it's some national legislation, as opposed to local, then I would be suspicious of whatever groups claims to "represent" creative artists by protecting copyrights. Local action is the most likely to be successful in combating such foolishness. Why not a march on city hall, or to the homes in council members, etc. No violence, but do let them know that the natives are restless. If the citizens don't speak out about it, the bureaucrats will win. Having been a bureaucrat, let me hasten to say that they are not, by definition, evil people. But it is very easy for them to simply lose touch with the realities of the people they are supposed to serve. "Planners" seem most effected by such tendencies. What was that American movie some years back? Something like "I'm mad as hell and am not going to take it any more !" Organize and raise hell. It helps if you can identify the villain.