JPO Signs a MOC in Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights with the VDMS

April 2, 2021

On April 1, 2021, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) in Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property (IP) Rights with the Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance (VDMS) of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It is expected to lead to strengthened control over counterfeit goods in Vietnam.

Main contents agreed in the MOC are as follows:

• Jointly holding seminars and training on correctly judging the authenticity of goods
• Cooperating with market research in Vietnam and anti-counterfeit awareness activities aimed at market stakeholders
• Providing information about both countries' intellectual property policies, laws and regulations, etc.
• Investigating individual cases of infringement, etc. of intellectual property rights, and sharing information on procedures, practical experiences, etc. related to measures against infringement intellectual property rights
• Sharing statistics and other information on administrative lawsuits and activities conducted by the VDMS

The Anti-Counterfeit Office of the JPO has conducted seminars to determine the authenticity of goods for law enforcement officers such as customs staff in Vietnam and anti-counterfeiting campaigns in cooperation with the VDMS to increase the awareness of market stakeholders on counterfeit goods. This is the first MOC on measures against counterfeit goods that has been signed with Vietnam.

News release: “Japan and Vietnam Sign MOC on Cooperative Measures against Counterfeit Goods” (External Link)

* Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the heads of the JPO and the VDMS signed the MOC, respectively in Tokyo and Hanoi.

[Last updated 19 April 2021]