The Ministry of Economy (MoE) has launched an anti-piracy awareness campaign called “Using unlicensed software can shut down your business” to educate the public on the consequences of selling and using pirated software.

The campaign, which runs from March 22 to April 26, is part of a series of similar Gulf-wide dissemination efforts to combat software piracy and will tap the broad reach of print and broadcast media during its one-month duration.

The Ministry is focusing on increasing public awareness on intellectual property rights laws and their enforcement, as well as the negative legal, investment, employment and moral effects of piracy.

Mohammed Ahmad Bin Abdulaziz Alshihhi, director general, MoE, emphasised UAE’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights as reflected by initiatives against software piracy and other copyright violations.

He said that piracy rates in the UAE are considered one of the lowest in the Middle East, the result of strict laws and procedures enforced in this domain.

“The MoE seeks to promote a culture of innovation, research and development in order to strengthen the implementation of intellectual property rules in the country,” Alshihhi explained.

“The Ministry will strive to free the local market from piracy, which would be in the best interest of the national economy and the UAE’s competitive business environment,” he added.

“Software piracy remains a serious problem because a majority of the general public and businesses remain insufficiently informed about the negative impact of piracy on the country. We shall use this campaign to develop a more unified approach to reducing piracy and further protecting the growing national IT sector.”

Jawad Al Redha, co-chairman for the Gulf region, Business  Software Alliance, said: “Piracy compromises UAE’s emerging status as a regional and international IT hub.

“We commend the Ministry for taking a strong stand against copyright violations and showing concern for maintaining competitiveness among local businesses,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service