Cabinet agencies asked to delete all pirated software

Premier Yu Shyi-kun asked Cabinet agencies yesterday to find out whether they are using any pirated software in their offices.

"Because intellectual property is the solid foundation of the knowledge-based economy, we'll do whatever it takes to safeguard intellectual property rights (IPR) as we pledged to do at the beginning of the year," Cabinet Spokesman Chuang Suo-hang (莊碩漢) quoted the premier as saying after the weekly closed-door Cabinet affairs meeting yesterday.

Chuang added that officials with the Cabinet should set an example for other government agencies and the public by using original and authorized computer software.

"We're not just saying it, we mean it when we say we're determined to crackdown on counterfeiting and IPR violations," Chuang said.

Chuang made the remarks in response to recent media reports that said the use of pirated computer software in government offices is rampant.

Chinese-language media reported on Tuesday that about half of all government agencies are using pirated software.

It would cost the Ministry of Justice an estimated NT$1 billion to replace its software with authorized copies, reports said. The justice ministry later dismissed the claim.

Chuang yesterday also dis-missed another media report claiming that the justice ministry will team up with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Business Software Alliance to launch a large-scale crackdown on May 1. The crackdown would target businesses and shops in a bid to find out whether they are using unauthorized computer software.

"Although the government is determined to crack down on IPR infringements, the justice ministry will not participate in the crackdown campaign on May 1," Chuang said.

Despite the government's efforts to combat piracy, the US will keep Taiwan on its annual "Special 301 Priority Watch List" again this year.

In addition to continuing its crackdown on counterfeiting and IPR breaches, the Cabinet is studying the possibility of increasing fines for piracy violations by amending the Copyright Law (著作權法) to make punishment a more effective deterrent.

To better combat counterfeiting operations, the existing 100-strong special police unit that specializes in IPR crimes will be reinforced with an additional 120 law-enforcement officers.

The Cabinet may also increase monetary rewards issued to officers and private individuals who help in the crackdown effort.

Statistics show that the government has seized counterfeits worth an estimated NT$2.2 billion over the past two months.