VN joins the Hague System to facilitate registration of industrial designs

Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh (second from left) deposits the instrument of accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement with Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

On behalf of the Government of Viet Nam, Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh on Monday deposited the instrument of accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement with Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

This makes Viet Nam the 61^st member of the 1999 Act and 71^st member of the Hague Union. The Act will enter into force in Viet Nam on December 30 this year.

With this accession, companies and designers from Viet Nam can begin using the Hague System to protect their industrial designs in the Contracting Parties to the 1999 Act of the Hague Agreement. That translates to protection in the territories of up to 88 countries through a single international application and set of fees.

Foreign companies and designers can also seek design protection through the Hague System in Viet Nam from December 30.

The Hague System has witnessed remarkable developments with the participation of countries like the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Canada. ASEAN member States have committed to joining the system in a bid to improve the competitiveness of their economies

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology, the number of registration of industrial designs by foreign organizations and individuals in Viet Nam increases by 15% annually./.

By Quang Minh