Indonesia’s government plans to make the intellectual property rights sector a larger contributor to the country’s economy over the next five years. The Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights has announced it will set up a new body to collect and channel royalties owed to copyright owners. Currently, royalties contribute only 2% to Indonesia’s GDP, and the government wants to raise that to 6% by 2020. Royalty revenue collection is to be matched by increased penalties for copyright piracy. Violators will face prison sentences of up to 10 years and maximum fines will rise to about $350,000.
