20 August

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How to avoid losing trademark rights due to non-use in Vietnam

Trademarks are an integral part of a business’s identity and are a critical way for consumers to locate the goods or services that they seek. Among intellectual property rights, trademarks can be the most valuable asset a company owns because, for example, they are an effective communication tool to convey intellectual and emotional attributes and messages about you, your company, and your company’s reputation, products and services; they make it easy for customers to find you, they allow you to effectively utilize the Internet and social media. Your brand is the first thing customers enter into a search engine or...

06 July

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What strategies to reclaim unregistered trademark rights in Vietnam?

Posted by KENFOX IP

in Trademark in Vietnam

Vietnam follows “first to file” principle in establishing industrial property rights, whereby industrial property rights are granted to the first filer. This principle, on one hand, encourages IPR holders to register their intangible assets at the soonest time, but on the other hand, together with a “very open” and “very free” regime on "the right to register a mark" without imposing certain conditions like many countries in the world triggers rampant "trademark squatting" in Vietnam. ...

23 June

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Claiming damages in IPR lawsuits in Vietnam – Key takeaways

Posted by KENFOX IP

in Trademark in Vietnam

Download 1. Since intellectual property rights (IPRs) constitute a civil right, civil enforcement plays a critical role in IPR enforcement. However, our analysis of statistics on IPR infringement and enforcement in reports from enforcement agencies reveals that the vast majority of IPR infringement cases in Vietnam have been resolved under administrative route over the past time. While thousands of IP infringement cases are handled administratively each year, only a few cases are tried by courts. The administrative mechanism is said to be more expeditious, compact, simple, and economical in handling IPR infringements than the lengthy trial, complicated, and costly procedures of...

08 June

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Yêu cầu bồi thường thiệt hại khi khởi kiện xâm phạm quyền SHTT tại Việt Nam – Những điều quan trọng cần ghi nhớ

Posted by KENFOX IP

in Trademark in Vietnam

(English) Download Mở đầu 1. Quyền sở hữu trí tuệ (“SHTT”) là một quyền dân sự, nên trong các biện pháp để thực thi quyền SHTT, biện pháp dân sự chiếm một vị trí quan trọng. Tuy nhiên, phân tích số liệu về tình hình xâm phạm và xử lý xâm phạm quyền sở hữu trí tuệ (“SHTT”) trong nhiều báo cáo từ các cơ quan thực thi cho thấy: phần lớn các vụ xâm phạm quyền SHTT tại Việt Nam trong thời gian qua được xử lý bằng biện pháp hành chính. Trong khi mỗi năm có hàng ngàn vụ xâm phạm...

22 February

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

Posted by KENFOX IP

in Trademark in 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), ...

12 December

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

Posted by Do Thi Phan

in Trademark in Vietnam

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...

10 December

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

Posted by KENFOX IP

in Trademark 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....

13 October

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

Posted by KENFOX IP

in 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...

23 April

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Taxes

Posted by KENFOX IP

in Trademark in Vietnam

Licensee agrees that it shall pay In addition to the license fee or royalties provided in Article (…), any and all transfer taxes, in particular value-added taxes, which may become payable in a country other than the country of Licensor, and such transfer taxes shall not be deducted from the license fee or royalties due to Licensor. Any taxes required to be withheld from the license fee or royalties due to Licensor, shall be paid by Licensee to the appropriate governmental agency, and the license fee or royalties remitted by Licensee to Licensor shall be the net amount after such...