About us

The goal and activities of the organisation

MTÜ Eesti Äritarkvara Liit (NPA Estonian Business Software Alliance) is an independent organisation connecting the distributors of computers and software with the main goal of facilitating the legal use of software in Estonia, and therefore contributing to the development of local IT sector, creating a more honest business environment and promoting respect of copyright in the society.

The reason that Eesti Äritarkvara Liit was created were an interest in developing Estonian IT sector and worry over the situation of local business environment. EÄL was created by BCS AS, Gensi Tarkvara AS, IT AS and Usesoft As in 1997, and was initially named BSA Estonian Committee. Today, the members of EÄL are IT enterprises who feel that they wish to contribute to EÄL's honest goal by advocating legal software use and also condemning theft of intellectual property or gaining a competitive edge by illegal means.  Members of EÄL invest in a better tomorrow.

Eesti Äritarkvara Liit (Estonian Business Software Alliance) is not and does not aim to be an institution that punishes consumers in case of illegal use of software. The alliance aims to be an educative and consultative partner proficient in its field and ready to offer support or help.  As the alliance has established a goal of fighting with software piracy and stands for legal software use in Estonia, doing its best through different outcome-oriented activities.  EÄL helps to increase awareness of the risks of using pirate software and its legal consequences and also stresses the need to respect copyrights. The main means for achieving our goals are the following:

1)      organising campaigns and seminars;
2)      communicating with the media and expressing opinions about relevant issues;
3)      cooperation both with the legislative and executive powers;
4)      cooperation with local hard- and software distributors;
5)      cooperation with various organisations (copyright organisations, internet services' providers, online administration enterprisers, professional associations etc.);

EÄL has become an opinion leader its field by advocating the honest approach to enterpreneurship and respect of copyrights in the field of software. EÄL has facilitated cooperation and improved cooperation with other organisations with similar views.