O Globo, 29/10/2004

By Aguinaldo Novo

SAO PAULO. The computer piracy industry, which copies legal programs and smuggles parts and equipment, swallowed 70,4% of the product's sales in 2003 in Brazil. If the government does not tighten the enforcement, the participation of the illegal personal computer (PC, as it is known by the acronym in English) could reach 75% this year, which will place the country as the leader of piracy in the world, displacing China ( which is in the 2003 ranking with 73%).

This is the result of a survey released yesterday by the Brazilian Association of the Electrical and Electronic Industry (Abinee). Commissioned by IDC, an information and communications technology consultancy, the work aimed to map the loss of companies operating within the law and make suggestions to the government.

According to the survey, only last year the volume of taxes that were no longer collected with the piracy of components and programs and the sale without invoice reached R $ 1,5 billion, an amount that would be enough to double the resources that the Council FGTS curator released a new type of financing for popular houses (R $ 1 billion, for those who receive up to R $ 1.560 per month). They also lose the consumer, who risks taking products of terrible quality and without guarantee, and the industry installed in the country.

? Does unfair competition hurt the sector's growth, new investments and job creation? said the president of Abinee, Ruy de Salles Cunha.

The share of pirated PCs has grown strongly in recent years. In 1996, of every ten pieces of equipment, four were assembled illegally. Today, the leading company in the PC segment in the country holds only 5% of the total market. The top five have 15,2% of sales, against 64,5% in the USA and 43% in the world average.

Study suggests local assembly of components

In an effort to reduce its costs, the computer builder resorts to smuggling equipment. By research, the illegal trade in optical parts reaches 70% of cases. One of the most expensive items, the motherboard has an illegal market that accounts for 62% of sales in Brazil.

As a result, the price plummets. For a configuration with 40 GB memory, CD player, 17 inch monitor and the Windows XP Professional program, the official manufacturer charges R $ 3.080,35. In the hand of the pirate, does it cost R $ 1.828,77? 41% less.

Among the recommendations presented to the government are incentives for the local assembly of components, tax exemptions and an increase in the number of inspectors at the borders.