A group of technology police inspectors say they have found piratedsoftware worth 10 billion VND (476,190 USD) being used by six foreigncompanies in Hanoi.
The mission, carried out byinspectors from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and theHi-tech Crime Police Bureau under the Ministry of Public Security, cameafter the Government unveiled its renewed target of cutting the softwarepiracy rate to 70 percent in the next five years.
The rigorous enforcement effort again reiterates the Government'scommitment to bring the software piracy rate in Vietnam down to theregional average and provide a healthy business environment.
At all the six companies, inspectors found breaches of softwareownership laws, with the largest single value being roughly 4 billionVND (190,000 USD) detected at a Korean company.
Theinter-agency inspecting team reportedly examined 536 computers and foundthe mentioned unlicensed software, worth totally 10 billion VND, thelargest find since the beginning of the year.
Among the illegal software uncovered were products belonging to Adobe, Autodesk, LacViet and Microsoft.
An inspecting team representative said this was a large-scale raidcovering a number of foreign companies in various lines of business, butdeclined to provide the names of the violators.
Ofthe six inspected firms, one is a Taiwanese company working in sportsfootwear, another - a Japanese company in software applicationdevelopment, while there is also a South Korean company producingapparel accessories and plastic/metal bags.
Theremaining three are a Vietnamese-British joint venture specialising inmedicine, chemical and pharmacy research and production, a Chinese-ownedmanufacturer of air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines andelectronics, plus an Australian-owned provider of applications anddocument management solutions.
"It is a shame thatmany financially strong companies continue to deliberately avoid buyinglicensed software," said Pham Xuan Phuc, Deputy Chief Inspector from theMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
"Beinginternational firms and well aware of intellectual property laws, theydeliberately engaged in these wrongful acts on purpose, to better theirbusiness ends," he added.
"The price of computersoftware only accounts for 5-6 percent of the gross annual operatingcosts of businesses, which is inexpensive compared to what it will costthem to correct incidents and risks that arise from using illegalsoftware," said Tarun Sawney, Senior Director, Antipiracy - Asia-Pacificfor BSA and the Software Alliance.
He said usinglegal software was beneficial to companies, primarily in terms of lowlegal risk and immunity from fines that may be administered afterinspections.
"More importantly, licensed softwarehelps busine sses improve competitiveness and establish brand names,while solidifying reputations and transparency," he added.-VNA
The mission, carried out byinspectors from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and theHi-tech Crime Police Bureau under the Ministry of Public Security, cameafter the Government unveiled its renewed target of cutting the softwarepiracy rate to 70 percent in the next five years.
The rigorous enforcement effort again reiterates the Government'scommitment to bring the software piracy rate in Vietnam down to theregional average and provide a healthy business environment.
At all the six companies, inspectors found breaches of softwareownership laws, with the largest single value being roughly 4 billionVND (190,000 USD) detected at a Korean company.
Theinter-agency inspecting team reportedly examined 536 computers and foundthe mentioned unlicensed software, worth totally 10 billion VND, thelargest find since the beginning of the year.
Among the illegal software uncovered were products belonging to Adobe, Autodesk, LacViet and Microsoft.
An inspecting team representative said this was a large-scale raidcovering a number of foreign companies in various lines of business, butdeclined to provide the names of the violators.
Ofthe six inspected firms, one is a Taiwanese company working in sportsfootwear, another - a Japanese company in software applicationdevelopment, while there is also a South Korean company producingapparel accessories and plastic/metal bags.
Theremaining three are a Vietnamese-British joint venture specialising inmedicine, chemical and pharmacy research and production, a Chinese-ownedmanufacturer of air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines andelectronics, plus an Australian-owned provider of applications anddocument management solutions.
"It is a shame thatmany financially strong companies continue to deliberately avoid buyinglicensed software," said Pham Xuan Phuc, Deputy Chief Inspector from theMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
"Beinginternational firms and well aware of intellectual property laws, theydeliberately engaged in these wrongful acts on purpose, to better theirbusiness ends," he added.
"The price of computersoftware only accounts for 5-6 percent of the gross annual operatingcosts of businesses, which is inexpensive compared to what it will costthem to correct incidents and risks that arise from using illegalsoftware," said Tarun Sawney, Senior Director, Antipiracy - Asia-Pacificfor BSA and the Software Alliance.
He said usinglegal software was beneficial to companies, primarily in terms of lowlegal risk and immunity from fines that may be administered afterinspections.
"More importantly, licensed softwarehelps busine sses improve competitiveness and establish brand names,while solidifying reputations and transparency," he added.-VNA
