What Attention for Filing PCT Patent Application in Vietnam in 2023?

What Attention for Filing PCT Patent Application in Vietnam in 2023?

There are individuals and companies that believe that by filing a trademark, patent or industrial design application in the host country, they will automatically receive worldwide protection. However, in fact, intellectual property rights are territorial related and Intellectual Property (IP) government offices only grant protection titles according to the laws of the relevant countries (or region). Therefore, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) was born and signed by the member countries on June 19, 1970 in Washington, the PCT entered into force on June 1, 1978. Vietnam joined the PCT on March 10, 1993.

File PCT Patent Application in Vietnam

According to the definition of Vietnam law, an invention is a technical solution in the form of a product or process that aims to solve a defined problem by applying natural laws. In order to be able to obtain patent protection in different countries, an applicant can apply for protection through the PCT, either directly or within 12 months from the date of filing the first patent application filed in a country party to the Paris Convention, designating all countries wishing to register on the same application form, in the same language, and pay a fee.

The applicant needs to prepare a set of application including the following documents:

-02 Patent registration declarations according to Form 01-SC, specified in Appendix A of Circular 16/2016/TT-BKHCN.

-01 Vietnamese translation of the description and summary in the international application (published copy or original submitted, if the application has not been published, and the revised version and explanation of the amendment, if the international application is amended under Article 19 and/or Article 34.2(b) of the Treaty).

-01 Vietnamese translation of the appendices to the international preliminary assessment report (when substantive examination is requested).

-01 original copy of payment receipt (in case of payment of fees and charges via postal service or directly into the account of the National Office of Intellectual Property).

-01 Power of Attorney (in case the application is submitted through a representative).

After fully preparing the application, the applicant submits the application at the National Office of Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The time limit for formal examination is 1 month from the date of application submission. Applications will be published in the 19th month from the priority date or the filing date, if the application does not have a priority date, or within 2 months from the date of acceptance of the valid application, whichever is later. The time limit for substantive examination is not more than 18 months from the date of application publication if the request for substantive examination is filed before the date of application publication or from the date of receipt of the request for substantive examination if such request is filed after date of publication of application.

One of the important steps in filing PCT patent application in Vietnam is to make sure the translation into Vietnamese language match up with the original language. Patent attorneys at ANT Lawyers – a law firm in Vietnam will assist along the process including the translation of the patent and work with the national office of intellectual property in Vietnam to follow the instructions to complete the registration process in Vietnam.

Source ANT Lawyers: https://antlawyers.vn/library/what-attention-for-filing-pct-patent-application-in-vietnam.html 

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How Bank Guarantee Letter Could Help Secure a Transaction and Risks Involved?

How Bank Guarantee Letter Could Help Secure a Transaction and Risks Involved?

In the process of performing civil transactions, there is a need to bind the performance of obligations of the parties hence secured transaction is needed and guarantee is one of the commonly used methods to secure the performance of obligations in business and commercial activities.  The party that provides guarantee is normally a commercial bank and bank guarantee is normally a loan service.  In reality, there are potentially many risks involved in the guarantee transaction through issuing of bank guarantee letter which needs the attention of dispute lawyers in banking and finance to provide legal advice throughout the process.

Bank guarantee or guarantee commitment is a document issued by the guarantor or counter-guarantee or the guarantee-confirming party in the form of a Letter of Guarantee or a Guarantee Contract. Thus, a letter of bank guarantee is understood as a written commitment of the bank to the guarantee recipient that the bank will perform financial obligations on behalf of the guaranteed party when the guaranteed party fails to perform or not fulfilling the obligations committed to the guarantee recipient. In case the parties choose the form of counter-guarantee or guarantee confirmation, the letter of guarantee shall include the written commitment of the counter-guarantee issuing party to the guarantee, or of the guarantee-confirmation issuing party to the obligee.

When a guarantee obligation arises, the obligee must send a written request for the performance of the guarantee obligation, enclosed with the documents agreed upon in the guarantee commitment, to the guarantee-executing bank. The request for performance of guarantee obligations is considered valid when the bank receives it within the working time of the bank and within the valid guarantee commitment period. In case the request for performance of the guarantee obligation is sent in the form of a registered letter via the public postal network, the date the guarantor receives the request is the date of signing and receiving the registered letter.

Within 5 working days from the date the guarantor bank receives a valid written request for performance of the guarantee obligation, the guarantor shall be responsible for properly and fully performing the promised guarantee obligation for the with the guarantor. In case the guarantor bank refuses to perform the guarantee obligation, within 5 working days after receiving the request to perform the guarantee obligation, the bank must reply in writing clearly stating the reason for the refusal. In case of payment in foreign currency, credit institutions, foreign bank branches shall debit that foreign-currency sum to the mandatory lending account.

Credit institutions, or foreign bank branches, shall agree on the guarantee-issuing fee amount paid to customers. In case of a counter guarantee or guarantee confirmation, the guarantee-issuing fee amount shall be agreed upon by parties on the basis of the guarantee-issuing fee amount approved by the obligor. If the guarantee currency is foreign one, parties shall agree on collecting the guarantee-issuing fee by accepting that foreign currency or converting that foreign currency into Vietnam at the sell rate defined on the fee collection or fee collection notification date.

Disputes could arise from many situations, for example, there is a case of issuing a false letter of guarantee because an individual in the bank violates the law, or the bank officer signs a letter of guarantee without proper authorization from the legal representative of the bank, or letter of guarantee is in violation of form according to the regulation of state bank. In addition, if a conditional letter of bank guarantee is applicable, a dispute may arise from an understanding of whether or not the conditions for the guarantee have been met. In many cases, there might need to be a lawsuit to determine the conditions fulfilment of the guarantee and such might be lengthy and costly. Therefore, the parties involved in the guarantee transaction might need to consult a lawyer with expertise in banking disputes to check the legitimacy and validity of the letter of bank guarantee and the possibility to be guaranteed when the conditions are met.

Source ANT Lawyers: https://antlawyers.vn/library/how-bank-guarantee-letter-could-help-secure-a-transaction-and-risks-involved.html  

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What is Business Registration Certificate in Vietnam?

What is Business Registration Certificate in Vietnam?

Business registration certificate is considered a legal document of an organization, which is a paper or electronic document that records information related to business registration that the Business Registration Authority grants to an enterprise.

How to Obtain Business Registration Certificate in Vietnam?

According to the provisions of the Law on Enterprises, a business registration certificate must contain the following principal contents: Enterprise name and enterprise code; Address where the head office of the enterprise is located; Full name, contact address, nationality, number of legal papers of the individual, for the legal representative of limited liability companies and joint stock companies; for general partners of a partnership company; for business owners of private enterprises. Full name, contact address, nationality, number of legal papers of the individual, for members being an individual; name, enterprise identification number and head office address of the member being an organization, for limited liability companies; Charter capital for companies, investment capital for private enterprises.

In which, the name of the enterprise must be a Vietnamese name consisting of two elements: type of business and proper name. Currently, Vietnam recognizes four types of enterprises: limited liability companies, joint stock companies, partnerships and private enterprises. The enterprise’s proper name can be written with the letters of the Vietnamese alphabet, the letters F, J, Z, W, numbers and symbols. The enterprise code element recorded on the Certificate of Business Registration is a series of numbers created by the National Information System on Business Registration, issued to an enterprise upon its establishment, and recorded on the Certificate of Business Registration. Each business has only one unique code and that code will not be reused for other businesses.

The business registration can be carried out directly at the Vietnam Business Registration Office or through the postal service or through the electronic information network. If choosing the form of enterprise registration via electronic information network, the enterprise founder shall submit an application at the National Enterprise Registration Portal. Business registration documents will be presented in electronic form and have the same legal value as paper business registration documents.

The business registration agency is responsible for reviewing the validity of the enterprise registration dossier and granting the Business registration certificate within 03 working days from the date of receipt of the application. In case the application is not sufficient or not prepared according to the regulations, the business registration agency must notify in writing the contents that need to be amended and supplemented to the enterprise founder. If the business registration authority refuses to register the enterprise, it must notify in writing the enterprise founder and clearly state the reasons. The company could prepare its own submissions or hire a Vietnam business lawyers to assist with the submissions.

With highly professional staff and great experience in foreign investment, ANT Lawyers could help to support you to Obtain Business Registration Certificate in Vietnam.

Source ANT Lawyers: https://antlawyers.vn/library/what-is-business-registration-certificate-in-vietnam.html  

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How Vietnam Has Simplified Procedures to Register Business in Vietnam?

By the end of 2019, there have been more than 30,000 FDI projects choosing Vietnam for investment, with a total registered capital of about 362 billion USD. Recently, business propensity of Vietnam is highly concentrated on the private sector, attracting foreign investors to the Vietnam market.

As Vietnam has built diplomatic relationship with nearly 190 countries around the world and signed about 15 Free Trade Agreements with important trading partners, Vietnam’s participation in various free trade agreements has created a strong impetus for foreign investors from developed countries to set their first steps in the Vietnam.

To be able to register a business in Vietnam, investors need to carry out procedures to apply for the Investment Registration Certificate. After being granted the Investment Registration Certificate, the investor shall  then apply for Enterprise Registration Certificate.

To carry out the process of applying for the Enterprise Registration Certificate, firstly, the investors need to choose a name for the business, which must not be identical or confusing to the name of another business already registered in the National Database of Business Registration on a national scale, except for businesses that have been dissolved or have had effective court decisions declaring businesses bankrupt.

After that, the investors or the authorized person need to prepare a complete set of application dossiers in accordance with the law and submit it at the Business Registration Office where the head office is planned to be located. The Business Registration Office will check the validity of the application dossier, based on the appointment date on the Receipt, the investors or the authorized person can go to the Business Registration Office to receive the results of the application or Register to receive results by post. The time limit for considering and handling the dossier is 03 working days from the date of receiving the valid dossier.

The investor will be granted an Enterprise Registration Certificate when fully meeting the following conditions:

-The registered business lines are not in the prohibited business sectors;

-The business’s name is set in accordance with the provisions of law;

-Having a head office as prescribed by law;

-Having a valid business registration dossier as prescribed by law;

-Fully paying the enterprise registration fee as prescribed by law

Over the years, investors have built confidence in the Vietnam’s business and investment environment. The socio-political and macroeconomic stability are prominent features for the growth of Vietnam’s business potential. The Vietnam government has determined to  simplify the process for investment application. Hence, Vietnam is and will continue to be an attractive investment location, a promising destination for foreign investors for applying for investment registration certificate and register a business in Vietnam compared with other neighboring countries in the region.

ANT Lawyers – a law firm in Vietnam will always follow up with authorities for legal update on matters relevant to investment registration or business setting-up in Vietnam.

Source ANTLawyers: https://antlawyers.vn/library/procedures-to-register-business-in-vietnam.html 

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What Are the Advantage of Foreign Investors in Setting up Business in Vietnam in 2023?

What Are the Advantage of Foreign Investors in Setting up Business in Vietnam in 2023?

Located in an important position of Southeast Asia, Vietnam has a long coastline of more than 3,000 km. With a diverse geographical structure interspersed with mountainous, highland and coastal areas suitable for general economic zones, Vietnam has ideal conditions to develop the trade and tourism industries. When setting up business in Vietnam, investors can enjoy financial advantage such as corporate income tax, import and export tax and land finance incentives.

Incentives on corporate income tax: In recent years, Vietnam has gradually reduced the corporate tax rate (CIT). In the 2004-2008 period, CIT was 28%, in the 2009-2013 period it was 25%, from 2014 to 2015, 22% and from January 1, 2016 until now, 20%. In addition, the provision of high corporate income tax incentives for a number of key fields that need to be encouraged for investment has contributed to attracting investment, encouraging business, creating favorable conditions for enterprises to increase accumulation, increase investment in the economy, and promote growth, hence promoting investors in setting up company in Vietnam.

Import and export tax incentives: The 2016 Import and Export Tax Law has added regulations that high-tech enterprises, science-technology enterprises, science-technology organizations are exempted from import tax on raw materials, materials and components that cannot be produced domestically within 5 years from the date of commencement of production. There are also import and export tax incentives being applied such as:

(i) Exemption from import tax for goods imported for processing for foreign countries and when exporting and returning products to foreign parties, they are exempt from export tax;

(ii) Goods imported for processing that are exempted from tax, goods temporarily imported for re-export and goods being raw materials and supplies in service of the production of exported goods can be extended the tax payment time to 275 days from the date of filing the customs declaration; goods temporarily imported for re-export may be extended the tax payment time to 15 days from the expiration date;

(iii) Exemption from import tax on goods to create fixed assets for investment projects in areas of special investment encouragement, investment promotion fields and investment projects in the locality have difficult socio-economic conditions.

Incentives on land finance: Foreign enterprises investing in Vietnam can be applied adjusted reduce rate (%) calculating the general land rent from 1.5% to 1%. In addition, the State also stipulates the application of the land price adjustment coefficient in determining the land price to calculate the land rent, therefore, making Vietnam increasingly becoming a favourable destination to attract foreign investment and company establishment in Southeast Asia.

In addition, the development of a transparent and consistent investment legal system is increasingly becoming a good tool to promote foreign direct investment inflows into Vietnam in the spirit of the state ensuring the rights of the investors’ ownership, investment capital and other interests of foreign organizations and individuals, creating favorable conditions and simplifying procedures for such organizations and individuals to invest in Vietnam. Compared with the foreign investment laws of some countries in the region, the law on foreign investment in Vietnam is considered by the international public to be more open and attractive, for example applying the form of 100% foreign capital ownership, administrative procedures are simplified, non-discriminatory between Vietnamese enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises. The law has been transforming in the direction of considering investment and business as the matters of enterprises and investors, which the investors have full authority to make decisions from investment projects to the formation and business of the enterprise and that the government only guides, creates an open legal environment, has favorable mechanisms and procedures, supervises and enforce the law.

ANT Lawyers – a law firm in Vietnam will always follow up with authorities for legal update on matters relevant to investment registration or business setting-up in Vietnam.

Source ANT Lawyers: https://antlawyers.vn/library/what-are-the-advantage-of-foreign-investors-in-setting-up-business-in-vietnam.html  

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How to protect your trademark in Vietnam?

How to protect your trademark in Vietnam?

In Vietnam, trademark registration is the first step in obtaining trademark protection. A trademark opposition may be filed to prevent a mark application that is pending from being granted. Litigation is the last option for resolving disputes involving trademark protection in Vietnam.

A trademark is a sign that helps separate one company's goods or services from those of others. Products and services trademarks play a crucial role in the expansion of the business, alongside patents and industrial designs. A trademark connects a business and its clientele. Customers will be more likely to use goods or services if the trademark is strong. The infringement of a trademark is inevitable when the trademark is well-known and has significant economic benefits from the sale of goods or services.

The owner of a trademark has two options for registration: either directly register a trademark in Vietnam by filling out a registration application with the Vietnam NOIP, or use Madrid's system to seek protection in Vietnam. In accordance with Vietnam's intellectual property law, the trademark owner must prepare, apply for registration, and pay a fee for the first option. If a trademark needs to be protected in multiple countries, such as Vietnam, the owner can register it using Madrid's system.

The trademark owner must assess the degree of infringement and damage in each location where a trademark violation occurs in order to select appropriate solutions. In the beginning, the owner of a trademark may protect themselves by requiring the trademark violator to stop their violations, apologise, and make amends. Owners of trademarks have the right to seek compensation in the event of damage. If negotiations or mediation fail, the trademark owner can use a settlement mechanism or submit a denunciation application to the Vietnam NOIP and ask the appropriate state agencies to handle acts of infringement. Acts of infringement may necessitate litigation. In general, civil litigation proceedings are more complex than arbitration proceedings. Civil litigation takes precedence when the trademark owner requires a court decision to end trademark infringement. In the remaining cases, arbitration is the better option because it is less expensive, takes less time to settle, and is more adaptable.

The client company's competitive advantage is heavily reliant on trademarks. Through trademark registration, oppositions, and other trademark protection resolutions in Vietnam, ANT Lawyers' IP service in Vietnam assists you in securing protection for these priceless intellectual assets.  

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Professional law firm in Vietnam

ANT Lawyers is a law firm in Vietnam with offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. We are a Vietnam-based law firm that is a part of Prae Legal, a global network of 150 countries and five continents of law firms. We have developed relationships with lawyers from all over the world as a result of this network. ANT Lawyers are able to handle international cases involving foreigners because of this collaboration.

We focus on providing potential solutions that best meet the requirements of business and legal clients as a reputable law firm in Vietnam. We help customers achieve their goals while protecting their interests, minimizing risks, and following the law.

We offer corporate and individual clients from all industries a comprehensive array of contentious and non-contentious legal services. We are able to offer guidance on a wide range of topics, from setting precedent to strictly procedural matters, thanks to our knowledgeable and highly skilled staff.

As a consequence of this, our clients can rest assured that, regardless of the case or transaction, our lawyers at the law firm in Vietnam possess the expertise necessary to provide legal guidance and service that is relevant to the business world.  

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