Business Software Alliance & UAE IPR Association sign intellectual property accord

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) October 12, 2011 -- October 11, 2011
Business Software Alliance (BSA), the leading global organisation that is the voice of the global commercial software industry, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE IPR Association (EIPA) to collaborate on the enhanced protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) across the UAE.

Under the terms of the agreement, both parties will help UAE authorities acquire the necessary skills and tools to uplift and safeguard IPR. They will also co-develop and launch anti-piracy awareness campaigns and training programs and work closely to identify and prosecute suspected software piracy activities.
“Collaboration is one of the five fundamental pillars we espouse in order to implement anti-piracy policies that are effective and sustainable. Strategic partners such as the UAE IPR Association are crucial in our pursuit of a piracy-free environment for the UAE and the entire region. The fight against piracy can be won if we stand strong and united, and so we thank the Association for sharing our vision and our commitment,” said Jawad Al Redha, Head of Government Interface for IPR and SMS&P Business Development, Microsoft Gulf.

The BSA is advocating a strategy of better Legislation, Enforcement, Education, Collaboration and Leadership to significantly drive down piracy across the UAE over the next few years. The BSA is adopting a multi-pronged approach to reduce piracy in the country, involving campaigns targeted at the government, awareness raising campaigns across the UAE to educate businesses about the risks associated with IPR violation, and other partnerships with concerned parties to collaborate in the fight against piracy.

“We are glad to have signed this memorandum , which is a big step towards promoting the success of the intellectual property rights campaigns . The BSA’s extensive experience in fighting piracy in more than 80 countries will be of great help in enhancing our own IPR programs, especially those geared towards the IT sector. Software piracy is not just about lost profit; it is about lost jobs, lost government revenue and lost faith in the business environment. We need to intensify actions against threats to intellectual property and we need to collaborate with the BSA to strengthen the movement,” added Major General Dr. Abdul Quddous Abdul Razak Al Obeidly, Chairman of the Board of Directors, UAE IPR Association.
The UAE IPR Association is responsible for encouraging the continued growth, productivity and integrity of business and social and economic welfare in the UAE. It promotes and encourages IPR protection under UAE law and international standards.
In its latest annual Global Software Piracy Study, the BSA has revealed that PC shipments to emerging economies outpaced mature markets for the first time in 2010. The study likewise pointed out that the growth of the IT sector in emerging economies has contributed to PC software piracy, which rose 14 per cent globally in 2010 to USD 59 billion.