A seminar on the protection of intellectual rights overseas for Vietnamese enterprises organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in HCM City (Photo VNA) HCM City (VNA) - Experts from the World Intellectual PropertyOrganisation (WIPO) talked with Vietnamese enterprises on how to protect theirintellectual property rights overseas at a seminar in HCM City on March 5.
WIPO Director in Singapore Denis Croze said “A logo or name is often the mostvaluable asset of a business.”
He went on to explain how businesses can protect their brands, logos andproduct names when expanding to other markets by using the WIPO’s Madrid Systemfor the International Registration of Marks.
The Madrid System governs registration and management of trademarks in 116countries and territories.
An international trademark registration requires payment of a basic fee plusadditional costs depending on where the protection of the mark is sought andhow many classes of goods and services are to be covered.
Croze also mentioned an international design system called Hague for theinternational registration of industrial designs.
It enables registration of up to 100 designs in over 66 countries andterritories by filing a single international application.
Peter Willimott, a senior programme officer at the WIPO in Singapore, spokeabout various types of IP rights, the role of the National IP Office, the WIPOand who does what in the international IP system.
“The IP system can be used effectively by any Vietnamese business, big orsmall, but it’s important to know a patent from a trademark.”
He also spoke about the options available to protect an invention, includingthe Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and its benefits.
“There is no such thing as a world patent but the PCT is a system that savesbusinesses time, effort and money when seeking to obtain protection in manycountries.”
The International Trademark Association (INTA)’s chief representative for theAsia-Pacific region, Seth Hays, talked the value of trademarks to the economyand need for overseas registration.
He said INTA has experience in supporting strategic plans for brand protectionand overseas trademark registration.
“It’s not only for supporting brand owners but also for protectingconsumers’ rights.”
INTA Asia-Pacific has 35 member enterprises in Vietnam.
The seminar was organised by the WIPO in collaboration with INTA, the Vietnam IntellectualProperty Association, the HCM City Intellectual Property Association, the VietnamChamber of Commerce and Industry, and the National Office of IntellectualProperty of Vietnam.
It attracted 150 officials from relevant agencies and Vietnamese enterprises.-VNA
VNA
