On April 13, 2018, the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Vietnam and the World Health Organization held a conference to introduce the main contents of the Draft Law on Preventing and Combatting Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer (the “Draft Law”). The Draft Law contains six chapters with 22 articles and is aimed at preventing and reducing harmful effects from alcohol and beer. The provisions introduce various measures geared toward reducing sales and controlling the production and quality of alcohol and beer supplied to the public.

Multi-level marketing (MLM) activities are allowed under the law in Vietnam. However, in recent years, a few MLM companies in Vietnam have been accused of not being fair to customers, not fulfilling tax obligations, and/or at times trading in low-quality products. A report from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) showed that from June 2015 to November 2016, the MOIT inspected and initiated investigations into 65 MLM companies and imposed fines totaling VND 11 billion (approximately USD 485,000) for violations.

The latest edition of Practical Law Company’s Doing Business in … Global Guide includes a chapter on Vietnam written by lawyers from Tilleke & Gibbins’ Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi offices. The popular guide, produced in association with Lex Mundi, the world’s largest network of independent law firms, provides the ins and outs of establishing and operating a business in more than 50 jurisdictions worldwide.The Vietnam chapter covers the following main topics:

In the Vietnamese judicial system, there are two avenues for reviewing a court’s final judgment. Under the current procedural legislation, if such judgment can be shown to be based on a serious error of law, it can go through the process of cassation, where the judgment will be reviewed and possibly annulled due to the material error in the procedures. If, on the other hand, new evidence or facts are discovered that could have affected the outcome of the case, the case can be retried.

Jaspal Co Ltd, a company renowned in Thailand, manufactures and retails popular ready-to-wear fashion lines under the trademark JASPAL and other well-recognised house brands.

With technology playing an increasingly crucial role in modern life, many countries are turning to the high-tech park model to promote science and technology and attract domestic and overseas investment. High-tech parks are strategically planned hubs connecting research and development activities with high-tech manufacturing and information-based services like software development, and often provide additional amenities like training centers and housing. These parks typically offer many incentives to companies to attract investment projects.

Cambodia and China entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Intellectual Property Cooperation between the Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts (MIH) of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of China in Beijing on September 21, 2017, with the aim of further promoting mutual investments through bilateral cooperation between the two countries.The MOU constitutes an initial framework for intellectual property cooperation, and is expected to further enhance collaboration in the following areas:

Over the past several months, the Lao government has been introducing a number of measures aimed at promoting foreign investment, from implementing Notification No. 2633/Cabinet/MOIC to abolish minimum registered capital requirements for certain foreign investors, to enacting the new Law on Investment Promotion No.