Armenia celebrates international day against software piracy

YEREVAN, October 22. / ARKA /. Armenia celebrated the International Day against software piracy.

Microsoft and the International Organization Business Software Alliance (BSA) marked the International Day against software piracy in more than 70 countries worldwide.
As the adviser on the legal part of the international organization of Business Software Alliance Narine Mkrtchyan noted during a round table on piracy on Wednesday, today the level of use of pirated software products in the world is 41%.

At the same time the level of use of legal products is 44% of the market and the remaining 15% are products with open source software.

"The problem of combating piracy is a global around the world. Piracy is distributed almost equally with the licensing provision, resulting in serious financial loss," Mkrtchyan said, stressing that in only the Central and Eastern Europe, which includes Armenia, the loss of the use of pirated products accounts for almost 66% of the total market.
She stressed that although there is some progress in law; Armenia is a country where piracy is still high.

In particular, the Government has approved the implementation of the concept of effective protection of intellectual property rights, as well as an interdepartmental committee chaired by the Ministry of Economics Control over the implementation of the concept.

At the same time Mkrtchyan recalled that, according to a report of Business Software Alliance, software piracy rate in Armenia at 2008 was 92% versus 93% for 2007, and the damage from the use of unlicensed software in Armenia in 2008 totaled to $ 7 million.
"Given the prevalence of pirated products, it is necessary to ensure an integrated approach to solving the problem, ensuring not only government support and massive participation of society in the fight against pirated goods," the representative of the BSA said.

She noted that as of today the Business Software Alliance does not set itself the task of prosecution for breach of copyright in software in Armenia, because at this stage it puts the emphasis on informing the public about the benefits of licensed products and the legal consequences of using the pirated versions.

Overall, the participants of the round table presented the problems of copyright protection in Armenia, the level of the impact of piracy and the damage, questions of international prestige of the country and the private sector.
The round table was attended by representatives of companies from software vendors, developers and owners of copyright, the police, the Ministry of Justice and the Committee on Public Revenue of Armenia. –0-