In the Czech Republic you need to pay this levy on blank media (see point number 1 & 6 on https://www.mkcr.cz/frequently-asked-questions-953.html?lang...) to a shadowy state mandated cartel of "designated rightholders" where the money preaty much disappears from the face of the Earth.

AFAIK there is no way around it, even in professional environment - we build a couple hard drives for a an internal company server and this levy was clearly marked there.

Same thing for all the other extortion money they extract from music festivals, pubs, hotels, radio stations, etc. - they do use some of it to bribe the most prominent and vocal old school artists to basically do advertising for their cause but the rest safely hits their coffers.