To commemorate World Intellectual Property Day, the American Chamber of Commerce in Ho Chi Minh City and Tilleke & Gibbins are joining forces to host a seminar on counterfeit goods and intellectual property rights in Vietnam, featuring guest speaker Dr. Pham Hong Quat from the Ministry of Science and Technology. The event will take place at noon on April 25 at the Renaissance Riverside Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

Counterfeit goods in Vietnam represent a serious threat to brand owners, a problem that extends far beyond the revenue lost to copies and knockoffs. Low-quality or defective fakes can damage the hard-earned reputations (and value) of established brand names. Pirated CDs, DVDs, and software can disincentivize and stifle creativity and innovation. In some fields, such as pharmaceutical products, counterfeit goods can even be deadly.

The government of Vietnam has taken substantial steps to tighten up IP enforcement in recent years, offering more extensive and reliable protection to foreign brand owners, but there remains much room for improvement. Dr. Quat will speak about current trends and regulations in IP enforcement in Vietnam, and then will answer questions from the audience with help from Tilleke & Gibbins’ IP experts.

Accompanying the seminar will be a road-show exhibit of assorted articles from the world-famous Tilleke & Gibbins Museum of Counterfeit Goods. Established in 1989, the Museum has assembled a collection of more than 3,500 infringing goods, ranging from lighters to motorbikes, that is notable not just for its size but for its variety. The Museum of Counterfeit Goods, located on the 26th floor of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Bangkok office, welcomes visitors daily, and has been featured in reports by numerous media outlets including CNN and the BBC.

To register for this event, please visit the AmCham HCMC website.