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Raid results in settlement with Royal Focus Trading

DUBAI — Microsoft Corporation, a member of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), reached an out-of-court settlement with Royal Focus LLC. The computer and software trading enterprise was raided in coordination with government officials to curb the menace of piracy.

The out-of-court agreement saw Royal Focus sign an undertaking to abstain from utilising, exhibiting or soliciting any pirated software of Microsoft Corporation. The liability amount will be increased in case evidence is found of continued infringement.

Juma Al Leem, Director of Censorship Department, Dubai Government said: "The UAE is trying to build a society that respects creativity, innovation and protects Intellectual Property Rights. Our role is to assist all concerned parties in building a society that is free from piracy to help establish a strong community that will respect each other. Microsoft Corporation and the BSA's efforts to crack down against corporations and individuals that flaunt the principles of IPR will have a massively buoyant effect on regional creative capital and will catalyse strong growth in the IT sector and software industry. We are happy that we are reaching into settlement agreements, this means that people are realising the importance of IPR laws."

Tolga Altinordu OEM Director, Microsoft Gulf said: "We are determined to reduce software piracy through any and all legitimate means. Piracy is not a victimless crime, and has destructive potential of stifling creativity, hampering economic growth, eroding trust and perverting business environments. In addition, flawed pirated software leaves a firm open to exploitation from hackers, potential data loss and theft, increasing chances of direct financial losses. We are conducting a comprehensive array of raids through intelligence gathered from public and private sector partners, and will prosecute firms found to be in abeyance of IPR laws. As a member of BSA, Microsoft is well aware of the damage piracy can cause to the IT industry and the overall growth of the economy. Piracy in any element of the IT market — software, IT services and hardware & data communications products — will adversely impact the sector as a whole."