In recent years, the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IP Office) has promoted the domestic development of intellectual property through a range of activities under the National Program for IP Asset Development. These activities include public awareness campaigns, trade promotion activities, IP training, and support for the registration of IP rights of Vietnamese individuals and organizations.

On April 15, 2020, the Lao Prime Minister’s Office issued Notification No. 481/PMO, which provides further recommendations on the implementation of PM Order No. 06/PM issued on March 29, 2020, including the extension of the earlier lockdown measures imposed in Laos to May 3, 2020, and reiterating that measures to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic should remain in effect until further notice. 

On March 6, 2020 the Ministry of Finance issued Circular 13/2020/TT-BTC (Circular 13), which amends and supplements Circular No. 13/2015/TT-BTC on inspection, monitoring, and suspension of customs procedures for exported and imported goods subject to requests for intellectual property rights protection; and control of counterfeit and IP-infringing goods. Circular 13 will officially enter into force on April 20, 2020.Some of the noteworthy changes include the following:

The latest issue of Asia Franchise & Business Opportunities  magazine features an article by two of Tilleke & Gibbins’ intellectual property specialists in Bangkok.