06 May

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Registering a Trademark in Bad Faith in Vietnam: How to Prove the Applicant’s Intentions and Motives

To prove that a trademark application was filed in “bad faith”, it must be shown not only that the applicant “knew” or “had a basis to know” about the mark of the legitimate trademark owner but also that the applicant had a specific intention or motive behind the registration. As per Article 34.2(b) of Circular 23/2023/TT-BKHCN, this second condition focuses on the motives and intentions of the applicant. What actions do these intentions and motives include? Is it easy to prove?...

06 May

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Bad Faith – The Secret to Proving Bad Faith and Regaining the Trademark in Vietnam

Posted by Ly Dinh

in Notable Articles, Trademark

The filing of a trademark application is generally considered to be automatically made in good faith and creates exclusive rights for the owner. However, if the filing is intended to deprive the genuine trademark owner of the benefits of their existing mark and cause confusion for consumers, it will break the goals and basic principles of the law on intellectual property rights protection. Such trademark filing with the motive described above is considered to be in 'bad faith”....

06 May

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How to Establish That the Applicant “Knew” or “Had a Basis to Know” in Cases of Trademark Registration in Bad Faith?

Posted by Vu Thu Uyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark, Vietnam

Proving that the trademark registration applicant “knew” or “had a basis to know” about the trademark of legitimate trademark owners under Article 34.2 of Circular 23/2023/TT-BKHCN is not simple. Vietnam’s Intellectual Property Law does not establish specific regulations on documents that need to be provided for proof purposes. However, on the basis that trademark disputes registered in “bad faith” have been handled, KENFOX IP & Law Office provides an overview of necessary documents and evidence to help legitimate trademark owners prove that the applicant “knew” or “had a basis to know” about that trademark before filing an application for registration...

06 May

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Taking Advantage of the Reputation of the Legitimate Trademark Owner: How to Prove?

Posted by Vu Thu Uyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark, Vietnam

Proving that a third party has exploited the reputation of a trademark owner is never simple. It demands a comprehensive approach to gather and utilize evidence in disputes over trademark rights, particularly in instances where trademarks are registered with malicious intent (bad faith). KENFOX IP & Law Office offers the following step-by-step guidance to assist legitimate trademark owners in demonstrating that their trademark’s reputation has been exploited....

26 April

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The Drastic RP7 Anti-counterfeit Campaign: How to Effectively Handle Intellectual Property Rights Infringements in Vietnam

Posted by Vu Thu Uyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark, Vietnam

Download The production, trade, and distribution of counterfeit goods are becoming increasingly complex, occurring quite blatantly and openly. Those who produce and distribute counterfeit goods demonstrate audacity by violating intellectual property rights and disregarding the law. Rather than concealing their activities, they now operate with such confidence that they use simple and easily recognizable methods to transport fake products. 1. The widespread counterfeiting of RP7 branded products Case 1: Recently, on April 23, 2024, police in District 11 of Ho Chi Minh City temporarily detained Tr.H.Th. (born in 2001 and residing in Tan Binh district, Ho Chi Minh City) for his involvement in...

25 April

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Proving bad faith: What lessons to be learned to reclaim trademarks in Vietnam?

Posted by Vu Thu Uyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark, Vietnam

Reclaiming a trademark through opposition or invalidation procedures is never simple, especially when the rightful owner has not registered the trademark in their target market. Nevertheless, a Turkish company successfully regained its trademark in the European Union through invalidation proceedings, despite not holding any pre-existing trademark rights there. The company’s registration had been made in bad faith by a third party....

16 April

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Cancelling a Trademark Registration in Bad Faith in Vietnam: What a Genuine Trademark Owner Needs to Do?

Posted by Vu Thu Uyen

in IP Practice, Notable Articles, Trademark, Vietnam

Download [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...

15 April

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05 Notable Bad Faith Trademark Cases in Vietnam: What Lessons Should You Learn?

Posted by Vu Thu Uyen

in IP Practice, Notable Articles, Trademark

Download 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...

15 April

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Trademark Oppositions In Vietnam: What Grounds And How To Effectively Apply?

Posted by Ly Dinh

in Notable Articles, Trademark, Vietnam

Download 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...

03 April

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Should you abandon a trademark application temporarily refused registration in Vietnam?

Posted by Ly Dinh

in Notable Articles, Trademark, Vietnam

Not 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?...