Launch of “One month campaign commemorating World Intellectual Property Day towards integration”

 

As chairman to the launch for the “One month campaign commemorating World Intellectual Property Day towards integration”, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology ( MOST) Tran Viet Thanh accentuated the purpose and meaning of the initiative – “to heighten awareness on the role and importance of IP rights in social development; press ahead the establishment, application, development and enforcement of IP rights; ensure that IP rights become a useful tool to promote science and technology development, and socioeconomic development as a whole; and create society-wide awareness on the need to observe international agreements related to IP.

 

 

The one-month campaign is devoted for educational and training activities, which are followed by enhanced enforcement activities in the following months, added Deputy Minister Tran Viet Thanh.

Deputy Minister Thanh also informed that:“Going forward, to stick to Vietnam’s TPP commitments, we will scan, revise and updated our legal framework related to intellectual property, especially in association with patents, trademarks, geographical indications, know-how, copyrights and enforcement of intellectual property rights (with continued crackdown of misconducts through institutional controls and enhanced right enforcement with civil and penal actions, and protection of intellectual property rights in a digital world).Keeping this in mind, the Vietnamese government and the country’s entire intellectual property right registration and enforcement system are making steps to improve and take to new heights the efficacy of intellectual property right protection and enforcement in Vietnam.”

 

Updates by Mr. Tran Minh Dung, Chief Inspector of MOST and head of Program 168 Executive Boards indicate thataccording to rough statistical data from Program 168 Phase 2 (2012-2015) Executive Board, IP enforcement agencies nationwide have handled 26,004 cases, with a total fine imposed of VND 68 billion; confiscation and forced destruction or removal of infringing components for about 70 tons of functional foods of various kinds; tens of thousands of imported bottles of liquor; nearly 27,000 modern medicine products; 80,900 tons of fertilizers and millions of electronic goods, handbags, footwear, fashion clothing, alcohol, beer, beverages and food products faking trademarks and infringing the rights of genuine industrial property owners; and forced destruction of tens of thousands of stamp-less and illegally imported CD and VCD discs.

 

In computer software ownership enforcement alone, Chief Inspector, Ministry of Culture-Sports-Tourism, Vu Xuan Thanh said: “In 2015, MOCST inspectors spot-checked 89 companies for compliance with existing computer software ownership laws in various places nationwide. Inspecting teams examined 3,942 computers and issued fines for civil offenses worth 2,520,000,000 dong.”

 

“In Q1/2016 alone, as part of “One month campaign commemorating World IP Day towards integration”, MOCST inspectors, in collaboration with Hi-tech crime division (C50), Ministry of Public Security, checked another 20 companies in Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City for indication of IP infringements related to computer software and took appropriate actions under prevailing laws”, added Mr. Vu Xuan Thanh.

 

According to Dr. Pham Thi Thu Hang, General Secretary of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), intellectual property plays an important role in Vietnam’s socio-economic development in the context of international integration, the country has been working hard to set in place and continuingly improve its legal framework for intellectual property, make enforcement more effective, and actively cooperate with international organizations in education and awareness activities. However, Vietnamese enterprises need to pay more attention to IP-related issues such as licensed software, copyright, cybersecurity, trademark licensing, imitated, low quality goods, and others to enhance their competitiveness and trademarks of their products and services, especially when Vietnam is going to implement commitments of the international integration agreements such as ASEAN Economic Community, TPP, and other free trade agreements, she remarked.    

 

Building on the many years of cooperation with relevant Vietnamese governmental bodies, Mr. Roland Chan, Senior Director for Compliance Programs, Asia Pacific, BSA | The Software Alliance, commented at the launch event: “Over the years, BSA has initiated many education and awareness building programs aimed at educating and assisting companies to address their software licensing and management issues. It is through these campaigns, and with the strong support of the government, that we are seeing the fruits of our labor. However, we are now also seeing that cybercrime is real and on the rise, transcending borders. Organizations and business owners must be vigilant to protect themselves and their businesses from the growing threats of malware and data theft through the adoption of an effective and efficient software license management practice.

 

 

The good news is that with effective management of software assets the risk of a cybersecurity incident is greatly diminished. Part of the goal of BSA in this new campaign is to draw greater awareness of cybersecurity risks that come with the use of unlicensed software. Protecting a company from cyber risks is no longer the sole purview of the IT department. I believe that establishing sound software asset management practices and controls, including a focus on software licensing, is essential for the future of businesses and for Vietnam.”