Key emerging markets top the US Trade Representative’s annual watch lists
Washington — May 2, 2011 —
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) today applauded the Obama Administration for drawing attention to many of the world’s worst hotspots for software piracy in the US Trade Representative’s 2011 “Special 301” report, which highlights trading partners that are not providing adequate protection and effective enforcement of intellectual property rights.
“Today’s report underscores the severity of the problem that the software industry faces with rampant piracy in the world’s fastest-growing markets,” said BSA President and CEO Robert Holleyman. “Prominent on the Administration’s watch lists are countries such as China, Russia, Indonesia, and many others where the IT hardware market is growing rapidly but software piracy is unacceptably high.”
“I applaud the Obama Administration for its ongoing efforts to focus attention on the need for robust intellectual property protection and enforcement to spur technological innovation and economic growth. Given the scale of software piracy around the world, governments must take concrete steps to curb this theft in all its forms. We need to see sustained efforts and a roadmap for progress. That’s why a particularly important element of this year’s Special 301 report is US Trade Representative Ron Kirk’s call to other governments to come forward with concrete action plans. BSA applauds this initiative.”
BSA will soon release its eighth annual Global Software Piracy Study, which will provide detailed updates on the rate and commercial value of software piracy in 116 countries and regions around the world. This year’s study will also provide in-depth analysis of global opinion toward software piracy and intellectual property rights.
About BSA
The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the world’s foremost advocate for the software industry, working in 80 countries to expand software markets and create conditions for innovation and growth. Governments and industry partners look to BSA for thoughtful approaches to key policy and legal issues, recognizing that software plays a critical role in driving economic and social progress in all nations. BSA’s member companies invest billions of dollars a year in local economies, good jobs, and next-generation solutions that will help people around the world be more productive, connected, and secure. BSA members include Adobe, Altium, Apple, Autodesk, AVEVA, AVG, Bentley Systems, CA Technologies, Cadence, CNC/Mastercam, Compuware, Corel, Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation, Dell, Intel, Intuit, Kaspersky Lab, McAfee, Microsoft, Minitab, PTC, Progress Software, Quark, Quest Software, Rosetta Stone, Siemens, Sybase, Symantec, and The MathWorks.
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jordan.lubowitz@edelman.com