Denis Croze, director of the regional office of the World Intellectual Property Organisation  (WIPO) in ASEAN, shared about reliable platforms to register trademark protection. VNS Photo Minh Thu

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese designs and trademarks are being violated abroad as firms don't pay enough attention to registering their intellectual property (IP), a top official has said.

Vũ Tiến Lộc, President of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), made the statement at the one-day 'Protecting Designs and Trademarks for Vietnamese Enterprises' conference yesterday in Hà Nội.

“Vietnamese enterprises are facing many challenges and difficulties in the global market when Vietnamese trademarks have been stolen and violated by foreign enterprises such as Bến Tre coconut, Phú Quốc fish sauce and Buôn Mê Thuột coffee. It takes much time and money to reclaim these brands.”

This problem spurred the VCCI to host the conference along with the Intellectual Property Office of Việt Nam, the Việt Nam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA) and the International Trademark Association (INTA).

“We will make a commitment that Vietnamese enterprises respect the intellectual property law of the world and are aware of protecting their own intellectual property, aiming to protect copyright and increase the competitiveness of Vietnamese products in the world market.

“Through the conference, we can learn about the experiences of foreign enterprises, find reliable platforms to register trademarks and seek opportunities to co-operate with foreign experts who will support Vietnamese enterprises in trademark protection,” said Lộc.

Denis Croze, director of the regional office of the World Intellectual Property Organisation  (WIPO) in ASEAN, said it was not surprising to see more Vietnamese businesses paying attention to the registration of trademarks and designs.

“The globalisation of markets and the cross-border data flows enabled by the internet are providing new opportunities for businesses and consumers,” said Croze.

“That’s why it is important to protect your intellectual property rights – whether patents, trademarks, industrial designs, or geographical indications.

“Often the skill which a business has demonstrated in developing, protecting and managing its IP assets is a good indication of how successful it will be in the future.  In a changing economic environment where intangible assets represent significant business value, intellectual property is crucial. And it is important that the international IP system enables innovation and creativity for everyone,” he said.

The foreign experts introduced the Hague System on the international registration of industrial designs and the Madrid System on the international registration of trademarks during the conference.

“Some more work needs to be done concerning a few legal and practical issues such as electronic communications between WIPO and IP Việt Nam, possible amendments to the legislation, adaptation of the procedures, or the drafting of the declarations, but most of the work has been done and we are looking forward for Việt Nam to join this registration system,” he said.

Seth Hays, chief representative of the Asia Pacific Office of the International Trademark Association (INTA), a network of 7,700 brands from 190 countries and territories, hailed the importance of the conference

“This conference continues building bridge between IP agencies across borders and provides Vietnamese enterprises with the most efficient tools to protect your IP rights when going overseas,” he said.

“Trademarks enable quick, confident and safe purchasing decisions, fuel competition and encourage innovation. With information shared, we ensure that your most valuable intangible assets such as brands and designs are strategically protected when going overseas.” — VNS