Upon suspecting an infringement of their intellectual property (IP) rights, holders can submit a request to the Vietnam Intellectual Property Research Institute (VIPRI) for an assessment or expert opinion to determine the presence of infringement elements....
Continue readingIn Vietnam, methods of preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases in humans and animals, known as “excluded medical methods”, are not eligible for patent protection under Article 59.7 of the Vietnam Intellectual Property Law. This regulation, established based on humanitarian policies, aims to facilitate access to advanced medical services for all societal classes, thereby improving public health by removing patent ownership barriers. However, it poses significant challenges for patent owners seeking to protect intellectual property rights for their medical method inventions. So, what are the excluded medical methods? How to identify these methods? And are there any available solutions for protecting...
Continue readingDownload [Executive summary]: v. . Tân Việt Company, a Vietnamese enterprise, successfully secured the trademark "CAF PROFESSIONAL SOUND" under Registration No. 390821 with IP VIETNAM. Upon discovering this registration, Kafu Company, a China-based company, filed an invalidation with IP VIETNAM based on bad faith ground. Category Details Applied-for trademark Class & goods 09 (Audio equipment such as speakers, audio amplifiers, disc players).35 (Trading, importing and exporting audio equipment such as speakers, sound amplifiers, disc players). Application/Registration No. 4-2018-28713 (390821) Applicant Công ty cổ phần xuất nhập khẩu & đầu tư phát triển Tân Việt (Tan Viet Company) Genuine trademark owner Foshan City Nanhai Kafu Professional Audio Equipment Factory (Kafu Company) Action Filing a trademark...
Continue readingDownload Trademark squatting or the bad faith registration of trademarks to misappropriate the intellectual property of foreign companies for illicit profit has become increasingly common in Vietnam. The more prestigious and reputable the brand, the greater the risk of becoming a target of this exploitative practice. KENFOX IP & Law Office would like to provide 05 notable bad faith trademark cases in Vietnam so that IPR holders who are currently conducting or planning to conduct business in Vietnam can understand the potential risks and challenges, having clearer picture of the legal processes in Vietnam, based on which better strategize their trademark...
Continue readingDownload Intellectual property rights (IPR) holders never want their competitors to register a mark closely resembling their own marks. This is to mitigate legal risks, particularly in preventing confusion among consumers and deterring unauthorized trademark use or free riding on their goodwill associated with their mark. To mitigate these risks and safeguard the value of their brands and intellectual property in Vietnam, intellectual property rights holders must clearly understand the legal grounds for exercising the right to ”oppose” a trademark or to provide 'third-party observation”, as outlined in Articles 112 and 112a of the amended 2022 IP Law. What legal grounds justify...
Continue readingDownload In Laos, farming (agriculture) is very important for both the people's way of life and the country's economy. Because of this, protecting the rights of people who create new types of plants (i.e., plant breeder's rights) is becoming a very important issue. The Law on Intellectual Property (Amended) No. 38/NA, which came into force on June 8, 2018, marks a significant step forward in recognizing and safeguarding the intellectual efforts of those who bring new plant varieties to life. But what does this mean for the breeders, the agricultural sector, and the biodiversity of Laos? KENFOX IP & Law Office...
Continue readingDownload Patent validation, in the context of the European Patent Office (EPO) and its validation agreement with non-member countries like Cambodia, refers to the process by which a European patent application, once granted, can also be recognized and enforced in a non-EPO member state. Validation significantly benefits patent holders by allowing them to extend their patent protection to Cambodia without having to go through the entire patent application process again in the country. This can lead to more efficient and cost-effective IP management for entities operating on a global scale. KENFOX IP & Law Office would like to provide below 8 key...
Continue readingNot a few trademark applications in Vietnam, whether directly submitted to the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IP VIETNAM) or designated through the Madrid system, are temporarily refused for registration. The situation will be more challenging and daunting in case such a temporarily refused trademark has been commercialized in Vietnam for several years. The temporary refusal of their trademark application raises a critical and complex question: whether to continue the pursuit of registration or to consider abandoning the application?...
Continue readingDownload Industrial design rights play a crucial role in safeguarding the unique and creative aspects of a product's appearance. These rights grant creators exclusive control over the visual attributes of their designs, ensuring fair competition and encouraging innovation. This guide outlines the procedures and measures available under Myanmar's Intellectual Property Rights Court to protect and enforce industrial design rights effectively. 1. Seeking Remedies for Infringement of Industrial Design Rights Filing a Suit for Provisional Measures: Design right holders seeking protection against infringement can apply for provisional measures through a civil action in the Intellectual Property Rights Court, as outlined in Sections 67(a) and...
Continue readingDownload In Myanmar, the process of invalidation and cancellation of a registered industrial design involves the legal mechanisms through which the rights associated with a registered design can be challenged or revoked. Industrial designs are vital for protecting the aesthetic and ornamental aspects of a product, ensuring creators and innovators can safeguard their unique visual creations. “Invalidation” refers to the procedure through which an interested party seeks to challenge the validity of a registered industrial design. This could be due to various reasons, such as prior existing rights, lack of novelty, or failure to meet the necessary requirements for design registration. The...
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