Vietnam strengthens trademark protections as export risks grow

THE HANOI TIMES — With Vietnamese exports gaining global traction, there have been concerns raised by local insiders over misuses or hijackings of local brands by foreign entities, highlighting gaps in intellectual property protection.

What needs to change to strengthen protections?

To address the current gaps, Pham Nghiem Xuan Bac, Chairman of the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA), has urged the authorities to introduce incentives and legal provisions that support brand development, particularly during the privatization of state-owned enterprises.

“Foreign trademark registration is costly and complicated, so state support is essential,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Lai Viet Anh, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency (iDEA), advised exporters to register trademarks early and to seek legal guidance from reputable Vietnamese firms to protect their interests in countries such as the US.

She pointed to programs such as Go Export, run by the iDEA, which have helped Nam Huy Dong Thap Co., Ltd., a dried fruit brand owner, to secure brand registration in the US with expert legal support, as well as other businesses.

Moreover, Luu Hoang Long, Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam at the Ministry of Science and Technology, added that Vietnam’s membership of the Madrid System and the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) enables companies to streamline international registrations in over 150 countries, saving time and money.

On the business side, Gijae Seong, Director of Amazon Global Selling Vietnam, highlighted the role of the Amazon Brand Registry, launched in 2017, in protecting products and preventing counterfeits on the platform.

According to Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, under the National Brand Program (2020–2030), the sovernment will monitor violations of Vietnamese brands abroad and support timely registration in key markets.

The program also calls for stronger support for businesses in trademark registration and protection, as well as expanded communication and promotional efforts for Vietnam’s exports, particularly in key global markets.

Rising risks of brand misappropriation

The Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that Vietnam’s national brand value has steadily elevated, ranking 32nd out of 193 countries in 2024, with an estimated valuation of $507 billion. According to the Brand Finance report, the country was also among the fastest-growing national brands globally from 2019 to 2022.

Prominent Vietnamese brands, such as Viettel, Vinamilk, Trung Nguyen Coffee Company, ST25 rice, and Loc Troi Group, have made international headlines. However, brand violations remain rampant.

According to Nguyen Thu Anh, Vice President of the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA), the Trung Nguyen trademark has been registered in the US by a company called Rice Field, and the Vinataba cigarette brand has been registered in multiple countries by an Indonesian firm.

Nguyen Thi Tinh, Chairwoman of the Phu Quoc Fish Sauce Association, recounted finding Thai-made fish sauce labeled as the Vietnamese brand "Phu Quoc" in European supermarkets.

Meet More Coffee founder Nguyen Ngoc Luan also reported a supermarket in Australia using Co.opmart’s logo, despite the brand confirming that it had never licensed its name abroad.

Underlying these issues, economist Vo Tri Thanh attributed this vulnerability to the low rate at which Vietnamese firms register trademarks overseas.

“Up to 80% of businesses pay little attention to branding, resulting in quality products that fail to secure a competitive edge internationally,” he said.

Experts stressed that Vietnamese businesses must take the lead by proactively equip themselves with legal knowledge and brand protection strategies.