KENFOX IP & Law Office > Our Practice  > Vietnam  > IP Practice (Page 16)

What to do if a trademark faces a refusal Decision issued by the IP Office of Vietnam

If Vietnam IP issues a final decision to reject a trademark application, there are 02 (two) remaining options for recourse. In detail, the applicant may either file an appeal with the with the Science and Technology Minister (“MOST”), the supervising body of the IP Vietnam or initiate lawsuits at court. If an applied-for mark is finally rejected to register by the MOST or a competent court in Vietnam, assuming that such refusal is based on absolute ground (e.g. a merely distinctive mark or weakly distinctive mark), ...

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A single or multi-class trademark application in Vietnam is better?

1. Differences between a multiple-class trademark application and a single-class trademark application Each trademark application filed with the IP Office of Vietnam may request registration of a mark used for one or more than one goods or services (See Point 37.2, Circular No. 01/2007/TT-BKHCN, as revised). That being said, a trademark application can cover either 01 class or multiple classes of goods/services. Hereunder are main differences between a multiple-class trademark application and a single-class trademark application in Vietnam. Criteria of comparison A multi-class Trademark Application A single-class Trademark Application           Fees Filing fee is slightly reduced as compared to a single-class Trademark Application in terms of both official...

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Assessing relatedness of the goods/services for examining registrability of trademarks in Vietnam

How the goods and/or services bearing this trademark are deemed related/relevant to those under an earlier mark is very important to determine registrability of similar trademarks in Vietnam. Whether Nice Classification is the only basis for making an assessment on relatedness/relevance of the goods/services bearing trademarks? Of course, it is not....

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What documents and which steps to register a trademark in Vietnam?

Registering a trademark in Vietnam is a legal administrative proceeding in which a trademark applicant (either a natural person or a legal entity) file an application to register a trademark with the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (“IP Vietnam”). Of note, co-ownership of a trademark is possible in Vietnam. Trademarks to be protected under the IP Law of Vietnam include: (i) Trade/service Mark; (ii) Collective Mark; (iii) Certification Mark; (iv) Associated Mark and (v) Well-known Mark...

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Main takeaways for seeking protection for industrial designs in Vietnam

Industrial designs serve as an valuable tool for any manufacturer who relies on the outward appearance of their products to attract customers and entice potential buyers to choose their offering over the competition. As such, features protectable as industrial designs can be used both purely as a form of aesthetic enticement, as well as a way to distinguish your products, helping them stand out from a multitude of similar goods. Combating design infringement has never been easy. Design registrations protect against infringers from producing the same goods or products which do not produce a different overall visual impression on an...

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Sanctions/Remedies against Copyright Infringement in Vietnam

Copyright infringement may be subject to administrative or criminal sanctions, depending on severity of the infringement. Further, the copyright owner may also take a court action to claim a compensation for damages caused by the copyright infringement. Below is a summary of sanctions/remedies under administrative, criminal or civil proceedings pertaining to copyright infringement in Vietnam....

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Patent Infringement Assessment Principles in Vietnam

Per Article 102.3, Vietnam IP Law, the essential technical features of a claim are determined based on the following principles: [The scope of protection of an invention shall be expressed in the form of a combination of technical features which are necessary and sufficient to identify the scope of the rights to such invention and should be compatible with the description of invention and attached drawings]. ...

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Comparison between an invention and a utility solution

Both an invention and a utility solution (also called “utility model” or “utility innovation” in some countries) are a technical solution per se which proves valuable in manufacture, business and life. Under the prevailing regulations of Vietnam, a utility solution is not recognised separately as an industrial property object but a special form of an invention...

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Questions on copyright in Vietnam

Copyright and copyright related rights are categories in intellectual property rights which is codified and recognized under Vietnam Intellectual Property Law 2005, revised in 2009 (“Vietnam IP Law”). Copyright related rights (related rights) are a special type of copyright and are separate from the author’s rights. Related rights are defined as rights of an organization or individual to performances, audio and visual fixation, and broadcasts and satellite signals carrying coded programmes (Article 4.3, Vietnam IP Law). ...

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