The Business Software Alliance, representing the world’s leading software publishers in more than 80 countries, has praised the “invaluable actions” of Malta Customs in the recent interception of pirated Microsoft products which were purchased via the Internet by a Maltese person.

The goods in question, being very recent versions of Microsoft’s popular operating system, were seized at the parcel post office in Qormi on suspicion that they were pirated software products. Microsoft was then invited by the Customs Department to examine the goods and to confirm whether or not they were in fact genuine and it resulted that they weren’t.

Thomas Limouzin-Lamothe, vice-chairman and Microsoft representative for the BSA Central and Eastern Europe Committee (who was in Malta last summer to speak about software piracy during a conference held by the Malta Communications Authority), praised the work that is being done in Malta to enforce intellectual property rights whilst emphasising the dangers posed by software piracy.

“The risks that are posed by pirated articles for consumers are very often misjudged, underestimated and taken too lightly. It is to be reckoned that counterfeiting and piracy are frequently the tools employed by individuals in order to cause substantial harm to third parties, such as identity theft or loss of personal data.

“The same applies for large companies which may suffer huge financial loss if their data is corrupted, compromised or where PCs within the organisation become members of a Botnet in case a virus is introduced in the system via an infringing copy.” he said.

The BSA is presently stepping up its efforts in Malta in order to create more intellectual property law awareness among consumers and among the various sectors of Maltese industry, as well as monitoring the rights of its members and making sure those are respected.