On January 15, 2018, Vietnam implemented changes to its patent and trademark examination procedures to bring them more in line with international standards. In a recently published article on the revamped procedures, Managing Intellectual Property quoted two lawyers from Tilleke & Gibbins’ Hanoi office.

Commenting on the fact that new details can no longer be introduced at the appeal stage, Thang Duc Nguyen, head of patent, explained that the change was aimed at reducing the number of appeals. “When applicants supplement new facts or arguments at the appeal stage, it led to a huge appeal workload and numerous unsettled and long-pending requests.”

Regarding the extended deadlines for responding to office actions, Linh Thi Mai Nguyen, head of trademark, shared, “The periods in the old circular were quite short compared to other countries, which caused difficulty for applicants, especially overseas ones, to meet the deadlines. IP practitioners find the extended periods more reasonable and provide a more practical timeline for response.”

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