Various options for liability for using "pirated" software are increasingly being discussed in Russia.
During a recent meeting of the working group on digitalization under the Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Entrepreneurs, an initiative was discussed to introduce liability for the use of unlicensed software — up to criminal liability.
Nikolai Komlev, Director of the Association of Computer and Information Technology Enterprises, proposed to develop anti-piracy amendments, at least to the Arbitration Procedure Code (APC) and the Code of Administrative Offenses (CAO).
When Natalya Kaspersky noted that Russian users today, even if they wanted to, cannot pay for licenses for foreign software (due to various restrictions), Komlev replied that the current situation should become an incentive to switch to domestic solutions.
Komlev also told "Vedomosti" that there are already certain proposals for amendments:
We have proposals for amendments to the APC and CAO. We are ready to share our expertise with law enforcement agencies, in particular with the prosecutor's office, so that during general supervisory prosecutorial inspections, the availability of licenses for the software used is also checked.
He recalled that earlier, thanks to the efforts of industry associations, the level of piracy in Russia had previously been reduced to 60–63%. However, in recent years, piracy has started to grow again, as law enforcement agencies have shifted their attention to other priority tasks:
If we can overcome at least 5–10 percentage points of piracy, then here they are, those additional budget funds and the acceleration of import substitution. And there is no need to introduce new taxes.
