PARIS, Dec. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- France lower house of parliament on Thursday voted to legalise music and movies download on Internet, running counter to moves in most other Western countries, where such downloads are illegal in order to protect copyright.

    The measure, introduced as two amendments to a government bill designed to toughen digital copyright protection, deems that downloading copyrighted files is legal as long as it is for private use only and the internet users pays a general fee for royalty payments.

    The French government has called for a second vote in the National Assembly.

    French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres said later Thursday that he was determined to go back on the vote.

    French former Culture Minister Jack Lang of the opposition Socialist Party said Thursday that it was necessary to give the time for reflection over the law bill concerning copyright on internet.

    The measure in any case would have to pass the Senate and again the lower house before it becomes law.

    Some French entertainers, though, protested the parliamentary vote, fearing their livelihoods would be threatened if it became law.

    Groups representing companies in the cinema and music industries issued a joint statement decrying what they described as "the expropriation of authors' rights on the Internet" and calling for the government to intervene. Enditem