Promoting and Protecting Intellectual Property in Vietnam

  • 31 May 2019

The BASCAP report on Promoting and Protecting Intellectual Property in Vietnam highlights the impact of counterfeiting goods on Vietnam’s business and consumers and puts forth valuable recommendations to reform the IP landscape in Vietnam.

The report reveals that several factors contribute to the wide-scale proliferation of counterfeit and pirated products in Vietnam, including the disproportionate size of its informal economy; corruption; weak enforcement mechanisms; and unawareness among consumers of the risks involved.

The report explains the value of a robust IP protection and enforcement system for Vietnam to reach its full economic potential. The report also recognises the recent efforts of the Vietnamese government to strengthen protection and enforcement of copyright and trademark laws; however, it also notes that a lot more needs to be done to protect consumers and businesses from counterfeit goods.

The report was released in Hanoi, Vietnam in association with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) on 30 May 2019.

Recommendations

The key part of the report is the set of comprehensive policy and legislative recommendations that can assist Vietnam in establishing a robust IP protection and enforcement regime capable of generating significant economic and social benefits.

Legislative recommendations :

  1. Improve and expedite civil judicial enforcement procedures
  2. Improve administrative enforcement procedures
  3. Improve action against Internet infringements
  4. Improve customs enforcement procedures
  5. Address deficiencies in criminal IP law and procedures

Policy Recommendations :

  1. Establish an inter-agency approach and enhance collaboration between the Vietnamese regulatory agencies administering and enforcing IPR
  2. Establish effective dialogue and cooperation between Vietnamese authorities, IPR holders and other stakeholders
  3. Expand IP related administrative, judiciary and technical capacity building
  4. Increase public and political awareness of counterfeiting and piracy and the associated economic and social harms

BASCAP Vietnam Country Report is available in:

English : BASCAP Vietnam Country Report

Vietnamese : BASCAP Vietnam Country Report