IP protection overseas: Let the grass grow under your feet

	WCO acts globally to protect IPR
	Strengthening IPR Border Enforcement, origin of goods for preferential purposes and cooperation with stakeholders
	Enforcement of intellectual property rights: Coordination is not yet effective

Policies on IP are inadequate, ineffective and unsuitable with enterprises

At the conference on “Protection of IPR overseas for Vietnamese enterprises” held by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA) in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) and the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) in Hanoi on 24 October, 2017, all experts and enterprises expected to find out a essential and effective method for IP overseas. Ph.D. Dinh Huu Phi, Director of the NOIP said that IP protection was the key for enterprises to expand their business in foreign markets. Therefore, from 2013 to October 2017, the NOIP has received and processed 506 trademark registration applications and 37 patent registration applications. This has shown that enterprises are beginning to be interested in the IP. However, the policies on IP are still inadequate, ineffective and unsuitable with the reality of enterprises; while Vietnam has drawn many lessons from lack of attention to IP and the trademark and product recovery are costly and even impossible.

Tran Van Hieu, Director of Agricultural Development and Environment Consultancy Co., Ltd said that most of the Vietnamese products in foreign countries were not protected. In fastidious markets, Vietnamese products are bought by foreign companies and they are marked with their trademarks and are marketed, which reduces the added value of Vietnamese products. In addition, enterprises are limited to awareness of IP protection and have met many language barriers and difficulties in access to information.

Agreeing with the above opinion, Assoc. Prof. PhD. Mai Ha, Chairman of VIPA noted that the awareness of Vietnamese enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises in terms of IP was not high and not logical so that when their trademarks were infringed, they started to worry. This is the common situation, making Vietnamese enterprises be passive in integration.

Therefore, Mr. Tran Van Hieu hoped that the management agencies would have methods to help enterprises access more formal information, enhance the exports to overseas and increase the value for Vietnamese enterprises and farmers.

10 containers of IPRs infringement at Hai Phong Port VCN- Some shipments in 10 containers were identified as fake Converse shoes of Nike by the competent ...

According to Mai Ha, the international integration of the country required the enterprises to accept the game and fair competition with foreign enterprises, so that a right way and method is very necessary. The enterprises have to enhance the predictability and knowledge of IP, study law or hire a lawyer for consultancy. Besides, Mr. Ha said the Association and the relevant authorities were also perfecting the legal policies to support enterprises in the field of IP overseas.