Pirate software users pay up €4m

Last year, European businesses paid out almost €4m in damages after being caught using counterfeit software - a 10 per cent rise on 2003's figure.

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) filed the €4m-worth of enforcement actions, with 1,372 raids authorised by the courts on the fake software users and 1,203 additional legal actions instigated by the BSA.

The fines imposed by the courts for the use of dodgy software ranged from €10,000 to the €300,000 imposed on an a firm of architects that was found to be a prolific pirate-software user. Businesses found to be more willing to switch to genuine software received lighter fines, the Alliance said.

According to the BSA, those most likely to turn to using pirated software are SMEs in technology, creative and professional services.