Should I trademark nationally or internationally if I will be taking clients worldwide?

Trademarks are intangible assets, and can be bought, sold or licensed, making your company more valuable Trademark establishes a link between enterprise and customer.  A strong trademark will attract customers to use goods or services.

Do you have to buy trademark in all countries? 

What's the best way to register an international trademark?

However, you have to analyze your company to determine the value in seeking trademark protection in foreign countries. An experienced intellectual property (IP) attorney is the best person to speak to regarding this decision. There is a mechanism for obtaining a trademark in other countries: the  Madrid Protocol

 International Trademark Registration Under Madrid Protocol/ Agreement

To sum it up, you should first file for a trademark in your home country. From there, your country will forward it to WIPO. After WIPO examines it, and hopefully approve it, it will send you a certificate of your international registration and notify the IP Offices in all the territories where you seek trademark protection in. The last step is for those territories to make a decision within the time limit (12 or 18 months) in accordance with their own rules. WIPO will record the decisions of the IP Offices in the International Register and notify you when they are made. If a particular Office refuses to grant protection, you can contest a refusal decision directly before it. Conversely, if an IP Office accepts to protect your mark, it will issue a statement of grant of protection.

Read More

What is the difference between trademark and a brand name?

As you maneuver through the world of Intellectual Property, you’ll see that there are certain terms that are discussed frequently. So often, people assume that brand and trademark are the same things. While they are certainly connected, there are factors that distinguish between the two.

 How easy is it to register trademark in Vietnam

The easiest way to explain is that a brand is a reputation that is developed over time. The marketplace can easily identify the brand based on the products and services as well as the image that the company creates. When you think of “brand” the terms that you should associate with it are:

Culture

Personality

Vision

Reputation

A brand should answer the question, “What is the company all about?” The brand name is simply how the company chooses to be identified and how the marketplace distinguishes it from its competitors.

In comparison, a trademark is what protects the brand. Namely, the protection is given to specific images that are associated with the brand. This may include:

Packaging

Symbols

Brand name

Color scheme

Essentially, a trademark will offer legal protection so that competitors can’t use the same features that may confuse the consumer

Related post:  Whatis the difference between a trademark and a wordmark?

Read More

Incorporation of CPTPP Agreement Relating to Origin Rules into Vietnam Laws

The CPTPP Agreement took effect in Vietnam as of January 14^th, 2019 including 11 founding countries including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, New Zealand, Peru and Vietnam. On January 22^nd, 2019, the Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Circular No. 03/2019/TT-BCT (Circular 03) regulating rules of origin of goods in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to incorporate and implement the commitments of CPTPP.  These rules are important for investors whom are transitioning their factories and manufacturing sites from neighboring counties to Vietnam and set up company to obtain the certificate of origin from Vietnam.  However, the understanding of regulations of the circular and relating laws requires the consultation of international trade lawyers in Vietnam for application in particular cases.

Certificate of Origin Lawyer in Vietnam

Goods are treated as an originating goods if meeting the following requirements:

-Wholly obtained or produced entirely in the territory of one or more of the Member States;

-Produced entirely from materials originating in the territory of one or more of the Member States; or

-Produced entirely in the territory of one or more of the Member States using non-originating materials provided that the goods satisfy all applicable requirements of Annex I attached to the Circular 03.

Moreover, CPTPP Agreement stipulates the origin rule for the Remanufactured Good and Sets of Goods, regulated in Article 7 and Article 20 of Circular 03 respectively.

-Regarding the Sets of Goods, the set is treated as originating if the value of all the non-originating goods in the set does not exceed 10% of the value of the set.

-Regarding the Remanufactured Good, Remanufactured Good are committed to treat as new goods at the same type. CPTPP also has very flexible rules regarding rules of origin for these Good: a recovered material derived in the territory of one or more of the Member States is treated as originating when it is used in the production of, and incorporated into, a Remanufactured Good.

Both CPTPP Agreement and Circular 03 (Article 14) also provide De Minimis regulations, which means that a goods that contains non-originating materials that do not satisfy the applicable change in tariff classification requirement for the good is nonetheless an originating good if the value of all those materials does not exceed 10% of the value of the goods.

In addition to Build-up Method and Build-down Method for calculating Regional Value Content (RVC) based on the value of originating and non-originating materials respectively, CPTPP also stipules Focused Value Method based on the value of specified non- originating materials and Net Cost Method for automotive goods only.

Relating to C/O granting, Vietnam shall use the mechanism of certification by competent authority for goods exported to other Member States. The time for implement the mechanism of self-certification of goods origin by exporters is carried out from 5 to 10 years under the guidance of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The mechanism of Vietnamese importers self-certifying their origin is implemented after 5 years from the effective date of CPTPP. The procedures of certification and inspection of goods origin shall comply with the provisions of Decree No. 31/2018/ND-CP dated on March 8^th, 2018 of the Government detailing the Law on Foreign Trade Management on goods origin and other related documents.

Lawyers at International Trade and Taxes practice of ANT Lawyers always follow the changes in law to update client for decision making process in investing and optimizing operations in Vietnam.

Read More

What are the steps to get a patent?

The best way to file a patent application is to be well prepared for your meeting with a patent attorney or agent who will prepare and file the patent application. Here are the steps that a savvy inventor takes prior to meeting with their patent attorney or agent:

 Register patent in Vietnam

1.Pull together a list of names, residence addresses and citizenships for everyone who contributed to the technology being protected. If you are incorporated, or other business entity filing your first application, gather the legal company name, state of incorporation and official address.

2.Pull together a list of any disclosures of the invention made to others. These can include offers to sell, license or commercialize the invention, papers that you and/or your colleagues published, web site or social media postings, and so forth. This will enable your patent attorney or agent to determine a date by which he/she must file your patent application.

3.Prepare a description of your invention, including a breakdown of the device or code module into functional pieces. Describe each piece and how it relates to the whole. This will enable your patent attorney or agent to prepare a specification portion of your patent application. The legal standard provided under the US patent law is that the specification must be complete enough to enable a person skilled in the relevant art, but not familiar with your invention, to build a working unit. So, the more detail you include, the better the final product will be and the quicker the turn around time by your patent attorney or agent, saving them time and you money.

4.Supplement the description above with figures. Flow charts, block diagrams, system diagrams, data flow diagrams, and so forth are all welcome. Hand drawn will work, but drawing files made using a CAD program, Microsoft Visio, Corel Draw or other drawing program usually can be used by the attorney or agent, saving them time of re-drawing the figures with one of these programs, which will save you money.

5.Make a list of at least three features or elements that your invention has or is able to do that are not provided by any known competitors. Also, include an advantage for each feature or element. This will enable your patent attorney or agent to prepare a claim set for your patent application. Good claims include enough detail about features and elements not found elsewhere to pass examination at the patent office.

6.You don’t need to search competitors’ systems, but to the extent you know of them, make a list of these as well. If there are published papers, articles, etc. in the technology area that describe approaches taken prior to your invention, bring these as well. This will enable your patent attorney or agent to prepare an Information Disclosure Statement for your patent application, which will satisfy his and your duty to disclose any known information relevant to patentability to the patent office.

What did you leanr from applying for a patent?

Now you are ready to meet with your patent attorney or agent. Bring items 1 - 6 above with you to the meeting. Schedule at least an hour and perhaps as much as two to go over the details with the patent attorney or agent. At the end of the meeting you and the patent attorney or agent should be able to arrive at an agreed protection strategy, a prototype claim, an estimated budget for the project and an anticipated date for completion.

Read More

How can I report a trademark infringement to the US Patent and Trademark Office?

Trademark law is a civil matter. So, if you see someone is infringing your trademark rights, your best option is to initially send them a cease and deist letter. If they don't respond or they refuse, your next course of action would usually be to initiate a lawsuit against them, to get them to stop the infringing activity.

Trademark Infringement in Vietnam

The USPTO does not directly deal with this matters. If, however, someone is trying to register a mark that you think is too similar to your trademark, then you can submit an opposition or file a cancelation with the USPTO. Again, these options only apply if the third party is trying to obtain federal trademark protection through an application.

Source: Quora

Read More

Is intellectual property really that important?

Intellectual property protection is extremely important. When it comes to protecting IP two areas of protection should be taken in account: 1) protecting your liability and 2) protecting your intellectual property (IP).

Liabilities like the terms and conditions prevent claims initiated by people who use your website. The other liability known as privacy policy is legally required for websites that collect user data. Protecting your IP requires confidentiality agreement. Every employee, developers and programmers should sign a non-disclosure agreement in order to avoid disclosure of trade secrets, in case they are involved in your website development. IP assignment agreement is also essential for the protection of IP when you hire people to work on your website.

Intellectual Properties Rights in Vietnam

Among the assets of IP protection a patent is the most expensive and complex form of protection. A patent helps to prevent others from exploiting the owner’s invention. It is a territorial right exclusively applicable in the area or geographical region where a patent has been granted. It is highly recommended that you consult a patent attorney if you’re going to head in this direction.

IP protection asset like a trademark is a sign that can distinguish a good or a service of an enterprise from the other. It is protected by IP rights registered with a national or regional office of emblem, in order to confer an exclusive right to use the registered logo.

Copyright is the legal term that describes the rights of the creators on their creative inventions that could be a design, a painting; literary work etc. in simple words copyright protects the work of a creator.

Source: Quora.com

Read More

Multimodal Transport Business Regulations in Vietnam

On October 16th, 2018, Vietnam Government issued Decree No. 144/2018/ND-CP amending, supplementing the decrees on multimodal transport. Under the law of Vietnam, multimodal transport (“MT”) is the transportation of goods performed with at least two different modes of transport under the multimodal transport contract from an original place to a place designated for delivery, the carrier is liable for the entire carriage. MT business includes: International multimodal transport (“IMT”) and Domestic multimodal transport (“DMT”).

The new decree eliminates and simplifies regulations on IMT business conditions and abolishes DMT business as a conditional business line. In fact, DMT including many transportations such as transport by sea, air,… is governed by specialized laws on each transport, hence it is not necessary to stipulate additional business conditions when conducting the combined transport.

Regarding the conditions of IMT business, the new Decree no longer differentiates between domestic and foreign enterprises as in the past, all enterprises therefore must meet the followings:

(1) Maintaining a minimum amount of assets equivalent to SDR 80,000 or provide an equivalent guarantee or an alternative of financial character as regulated by laws;

(2) Having a liability insurance policy for multimodal transport operator or an equivalent guarantee.

In addition, in order to facilitate member state of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Multimodal Transport or another international treaty on multimodal transport to which Vietnam is a signatory, new regulations are stipulated as follows:

(1) Having a registration certificate of international multimodal transport or another document of equivalent validity issued by the competent national body of its country;

(2) Having a liability insurance policy for multimodal transport operator or an equivalent guarantee.

The licenses to provide international multimodal transport service issued by competent authorities of Vietnam before the date of entry into force of this Decree are still valid until their expiration dates.

With the role of supporting trading activities, modern transports need to meet the increasingly complex requirements of the domestic and international transport market, which not only deliver goods but also connect the transport process into an uninterrupted transport chain to ensure a faster and safer transport process.

Transport lawyers at ANT Lawyers, the law firm in Vietnam have always following up the legal development on transportation to provide our clients with regular update on the matter

Read More