Intellectual property management is significantly improved

	Handling many cases of importing goods that infringe intellectual property rights
	Counterfeit goods and intellectual property rights infringement still continue

The imported shipment infringing intellectual property rights jointly discovered by Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department and Long An Customs Department. Photo: T.H

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology (the standing agency of Program 168 phase III), in 2023, IPR enforcement forces seized and requested the removal of infringing elements and destroyed dozens of thousands of infringing goods, and requested to change many business names and domain name, and return domain names...

Notably, the Economic Police Department (Ministry of Public Security) discovered, investigated, and prosecuted 22 cases and 27 defendants for infringing on industrial property rights.

The Supreme People's Court handled 16 criminal cases with 19 defendants in the field of intellectual property.

The Supreme People's Procuracy coordinated with the investigation agency to prosecute 233 cases with 350 defendants, indicted 112 cases with 261 handled 144 cases with 237 defendants for intellectual property rights infringement.

The Market Surveillance Force (Ministry of Industry and Trade) handled 9,246 cases of infringing IP and counterfeit goods; and fined VND92 billion. The total value of infringing goods seized by the whole force in the year reached over VND118 billion.

Inspectors of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism requested domestic and foreign intermediary service providers (ISPs) to deploy technical measures to prevent access to 2,763 websites and 3,611 links with illegal content.

The Inspectorate of the Ministry of Science and Technology received and processed 46 requests for handling of industrial property rights infringement. In addition, the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Science and Technology received 902 complaints about industrial property; 330 applications for termination or invalidation of protection titles; implemented 1,281 IP appraisal conclusions on trademarks, inventions, and useful solutions to handle violations for IP enforcement agencies at all levels.

The Inspectorate of the Ministry of Information and Communications handled 3 cases related to IP rights. In addition, Vietnam Internet Center has maintained the status quo of 9 domain names related to infringement of IP rights, serving the handling of violations by competent authorities.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs (Ministry of Finance) discovered 42 cases of goods infringing IP rights with a total fine of over VND791 million. Customs authorities at all levels have applied additional and remedial measures; seized and destroyed infringing goods or forced to re-export of infringing goods.

The standing agency said that the handling IP rights infringement continues to receive attention. Notably, the enforcement of IP rights by administrative measures in Vietnam has been appreciated by international friends.