The Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Telecommunications and Mass Media, together with the participants in the IT market, is preparing a draft law on the mandatory licensing of foreign software (software), the developers of which cease to work in the country. newspaper reports “Kommersant”.
According to the publication, Dmitry Nikitin, head of the IT industry development department of the Ministry of Digital Development, sent a letter to the Public Consumer Initiative on December 12.
He states that after foreign software developers leave the country, the issue of its use becomes particularly important and requires regulation.
Nikitin’s letter also states that the government is “considering the issue of establishing special conditions for the use of foreign software, in which it is impossible for conscientious Russian users to fulfill their current contractual obligations.”
According to the interlocutor of the publication, the Ministry of Digital Development, together with market participants, is discussing a bill that will “decriminalize” the illegal use of software from foreign companies, as well as launch a mechanism for compulsory licensing.
According to the publication, the initiative assumes that Russian customers will transfer payment for the use of the programs to a special account, where copyright holders can receive money “on demand”.
Earlier, State Duma deputy Dmitry Kuznetsov from the party “Fair Russia – For Truth” proposed the issuance of compulsory licensing of copyright objects and related rights from copyright holders leaving Russia. However, Russian developers stated about mandatory licensing risks.