Dow Jones International

Around 37% of software in use in the European Union is pirated, an industry study published Wednesday revealed. The illegal activity cost national and international software publishers EUR8 billion ($9.8 billion) last year, according to the Business Software Alliance, a U.S. lobby group that includes Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) among its two dozen members. The legitimate global market for software is worth around EUR42 billion ($51 billion) a year. The report, compiled by global technology research firm IDC, revealed stark differences in rates across an expanded E.U. of 25 members.

Source: Dow Jones International

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