Business Seminar Highlights Software Piracy Concerns in Sri Lanka
Independent research, released October 22 at a conference cosponsored by the Business Software Alliance, the National Intellectual Property Office, the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, and the European Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, revealed that in 2006 the software piracy rate in Sri Lanka was a staggering 90%. According to the IDC, a leading IT, telecom and consumer technology research firm which conducted the research, nine out of ten software programs installed on new (personal) computers in Sri Lanka were unlicensed or obtained illegally through software theft. This is significantly higher than the 53% piracy rate for the remainder of the Asia-Pacific region. It also places Sri Lanka in the bottom six of the 102 countries reviewed worldwide.
James R. Moore, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, welcomed the research: “We share the industry’s concern regarding extensive software piracy in Sri Lanka. The Embassy continues to provide technical assistance to help Sri Lanka improve its ability to enforce its strong intellectual property protection laws. We hope that, by demonstrating the extent of illegal software piracy in Sri Lanka, this study will lead to greater local protection of this vital sector. We encourage the government to take action to reduce software piracy and to prosecute those who violate Sri Lanka’s intellectual property laws. We also encourage the local business community to take action to ensure that the products they use are legitimate.”
[Full Text of Press Release - Source: US Embassy, Colombo, Sri Lanka]
