In addition, in order to participate fully in a global information economy, nations must manage software resources as assets. In the current world technology revolution it is imperative that governments institute software management programs. In conjunction with the issuance of the Executive Order, the office of the USTR has been working to negotiate similar government legalization decrees abroad. Government legalization is one of five key areas of copyright protection outlined in the 1999 IIPA 301 recommendations. Government action to reduce software piracy in the private sector is nearly non-existent, and many government agencies use software without the required authorization by the publishers.
Court cases take several years to resolve.
Police and prosecutorial assistance has not materialized, and courts do not impose strict enough penalties in privately instituted criminal actions. These long-standing problems, and Israel's failure to respond following last year's USTR 301 trade negotiations, have caused BSA and other IIPA members to request that the U.S. designate Israel a Priority Foreign Country in 1999. If no progress is made after further bilateral consultation, such designation would require the U.S. to impose trade sanctions against Israel later this year. Ireland - Present Irish copyright law and a new draft bill severely hampers software owners' ability to find and deter illegal copying by corporate users. Current practice in Ireland does not allow civil search orders to be conducted unless there is sworn testimony of a witness to the copyright violation.