Deputy PM Phuc urges promoting community empowerment in fighting against counterfeiting

The message of promoting the synergy of the community to join in the fight against smuggling, counterfeiting goods and commercial fraud was stressed by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in a roundtable discussion on trademark construction and protection and against counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringement held in Hanoi on June 20.

Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the event. (Image credit: VGP)
Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the event. (Image credit: VGP)

The event was co-organised by the Vietnam Association for Anti-counterfeiting and Trademark Protection (VATAP) and the Market Surveillance Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Praising the efforts of the market surveillance force and the enforcement agencies in detecting and handling over 30,536 cases of counterfeiting and violations of intellectual property in 2014 and the first six months of 2015, Deputy PM Phuc said that the cause of the existence of reality contraband, counterfeit or shoddy imitation is that enterprises is not really interested in preserving, building and protecting their own brands and ensuring their product quality and credibility of enterprises.

Besides, the reason are rooted also from related authorities particularly the market management force has not seriously implemented the fight, even abetting, tolerating or covering up violation, while the media is lack of information or not being provided accurate information on the issue and public awareness is not high, not fiercely condemn crimes arising from counterfeiting and piracy brands.

At the discussion, Deputy PM Phuc required authorities to strengthen inspection and investigation of the transport and trade of fake goods, especially items directly related to people's health such as foods, cosmetics, and medicines; while strictly handling cadres abetting and tolerating trafficking and counterfeit and pirated goods, focusing on radically dismantling the lines and dens producing fake goods across the country.

In addition, he stressed the need to develop funding mechanisms for task implementation of functional forces to prevent and combat counterfeiting and unauthorised copying. He also urged the press to be more aggressive in the fight against counterfeiting and commercial fraud.

The deputy PM called for businesses and consumers to detect unusual signs of the products and quickly report to the market management agencies and newspapers for timely treatment, considering it an effective measure in the fight against counterfeit goods and intellectual property violations in Vietnam.

The struggle against production and trade in counterfeit goods and violations of intellectual property is not only the work of a single organisation or individual but the entire society, so it is necessary to complete provisions on the issue, strengthen co-operation among law enforcement agencies and raise public awareness in gradually stop and push back production and trade of counterfeiting.

According to the Market Surveillance Agency, in the first five months of 2015, the market management force examined 70,000 cases and handled over 45,000 cases of violation, to recover over VND186 billion for the budget. Particularly in May, the force handled 7,300 infringement cases and collected VND31 billion.