The BSA, an international watchdog group representing leading software manufacturers, has monitored piracy rates since 1994 to highlight the serious impact of copyright infringement with piracy. The results show that one in every three business software applications was pirated in 2000. The BSA observes that this continuing problem signifies lost jobs, wages, tax revenues and a potential barrier to innovation and product development around the world.
The 2000 world piracy rate did not decline for the first time in the study’s history, with a one percentage point increase on the 1999 rate to 37%.
The highest piracy rate was in Vietnam, with 97%. Russia was fifth highest, at 88%. Eastern Europe recorded the regional highest rate, at 63%.In Western Europe, Greece, Spain and Italy recorded the highest rates (66%, 51% and 46% respectively). North America continues to be the region with the lowest rate, at 25%.