Cyprus cracks down on software piracy

NICOSIA, Cyprus (Reuters) -- Cyprus is cracking down on illegal copying of computer software, a practice that accounts for as much as 70 percent of all software used at workplaces on the island, a legal adviser to the industry said Saturday.

The U.S.-based Business Software Alliance (BSA), representing leading software firms, estimates that 14,000 of 20,000 computers sold in Cyprus last year were loaded with unauthorized products.

"It is estimated that about 13 to 14 million pounds ($19.8-21.3 million) was the loss of revenue last year for the software industry," said Achilleas Demetriades, Cyprus legal adviser for the BSA and other international and local industry groups campaigning for copyright protection.

Companies represented by the BSA include Microsoft Corp., Novell Inc. and International Business Machines Corp. unit Lotus.

Police on Friday had seized thousands of pirated software packages and other products in raids around the island, in what was seen as a likely first step in a larger cleanup.

Industry experts from abroad recently provided training to Cyprus police on copyright protection, and several of them were present during the raids.

"This serves notice that authorities are getting tough, and that piracy cannot be tolerated," Demetriades told Reuters. "Cyprus prides itself on being a successful services center, and this is a definite step in the right direction."

Cyprus adopted stringent copyright rules in 1994 after pressure from the United States and the European Union. Before that, it was common to find ripoff versions of software and new music or movie releases in many shops.

But industry insiders said enforcement was lacking as far as software and audio was concerned.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

See related sites about Middle East

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.