(May 6): Vietnam has ordered a clampdown on intellectual property violations, targeting a 20% increase in enforcement cases after the country was pegged as a top concern on a US watch list.
The crackdown will cover films, online video games and industrial property rights, among other areas, and run through this month, focusing on copyright violations, counterfeit goods and trademark infringements, according to a statement on the government website.
“Intellectual property infringement remains complex in some sectors and localities, significantly impacting investment and business environment, as well as the legitimate rights and interests of individuals, enterprises and related organisations,” the government directive said.
Vietnam was identified as a “priority foreign country” by the US Trade Representative in a report released last week, a designation reserved for countries with the most egregious IP-related acts. It said that Hanoi had failed to address longtime issues about IP protection and enforcement.
The USTR will decide within 30 days of issuing the report whether to initiate an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act, giving Vietnam until the end of the month to show it’s taking the concerns seriously.
Vietnam’s foreign affairs ministry responded over the weekend saying the nation deals “strictly” with intellectual property violations and calling on the US to provide an objective and balanced assessment of its efforts and achievements in IP protection.
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After months of negotiations, trade talks between the two nations have stalled, with disagreements persisting over tariffs and enforcement. One of the biggest sticking points has been the definition of “transshipped” goods, which Washington has said could face steep penalties, potentially as high as 40%.
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