US, Vietnam Promote and Protect Intellectual Property Rights
United States Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Marine participated in a ceremony July 28 marking the 25th anniversary of the foundation of National Office for Intellectual Protection (NOIP), said the press release of the US embassy in Hanoi Tuesday.
This important Office is Vietnam’s leading agency for the development of intellectual property policies and legislation.
The US has worked closely with NOIP to promote and protect intellectual property rights (IPR) through training and capacity building program.
In one important area of cooperation, the US Patent and Trademark Office is working with NOIP to build capacity in area of trademark and patent administration, as well as training members of the public and private sectors in IPR protection in Vietnam.
The Patent and Trademark Office will also sponsor training in the US for Vietnamese officials from the NOIP, the Supreme Court, the Copyright Office, and other government ministries.
The Ambassador applauded Vietnam’s implementation of a new legal framework governing the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, one of Vietnam’s commitments in its accession to the World Trade Organization.
He emphasized, however, the need for more effective enforcement against IPR infringement, particularly in combating signal piracy and pirated CDs, VCDs and computer software.
“IPR laws on paper are not enough,” Ambassador Marine said in his remarks. “There must be enforcement.”
(US Embassy in Hanoi Press Release)
Vietnamese
