After nearly 3 years of implementing Decision No. 3836/QD-UBND of the Da Nang People's Committee on approving the intellectual property development programme in the city until 2030, the municipal Department of Science and Technology and related units have contributed to making intellectual property an important tool, contributing to enhancing competitiveness, encouraging innovation, and promoting the local socio-economic development.

The geographical indication “Nam O” for fish sauce products of Da Nang has been granted a protection certificate by the Intellectual Property Office of Viet Nam under Decision No. 437/QD-SHTT dated June 3, 2024. Photo: MAI QUE

On June 3, 2024, the Intellectual Property Office of Viet Nam under Ministry of Science and Technology issued Decision No. 437 on granting the Certificate of Registration of geographical indication No. 00138 for Nam O fish sauce products. Lien Chieu District People's Committee is the manager of the geographical indication for Nam O fish sauce products bottled in Nam O 1, Nam O 2, Nam O 3 and Xuan Thieu quarters in Hoa Hiep Nam Ward and Kim Lien quarter in Hoa Hiep Bac Ward.

This is the first geographical indication for the city's products and an important legal basis for Nam O fish sauce production and trading establishments to enhance their reputation, develop the market, and protect the value of quality and origin of traditional fish sauce products. This is one of the outstanding results of the city's Intellectual Property Development Programme to 2030 after nearly 3 years of implementation.

Under the programme, attention has been paid to on a number of key tasks such as raising awareness and quality of intellectual property resources for innovative start-up projects and businesses; promoting activities to create and establish intellectual property; improving the efficiency of management, exploitation and development of intellectual property; supporting the introduction, promotion and trade promotion of the city's intellectual properties; and enhancing the effectiveness of enforcement and combat infringement of intellectual property rights.

To implement the programme, the municipal Department of Science and Technology has carried out 6 science and technology tasks with a total cost of VND 4.4 billion.

Specifically, three grassroots-level tasks include building brand identity and establishing intellectual property right of the collective trademark "Hoa Tho Tay Straw Mushroom" for straw mushroom products in Cam Le District’s Hoa Tho Tay Ward; building brand identity and build intellectual property right of the collective trademark "An Khe Bamboo and Rattan" for handicraft products made from rattan and bamboo of An Khe Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative in Thanh Khe District; and registering intellectual property right of the collective trademark "Hoa Lien Bitter Sticky Rice" for bitter sticky rice products in Hoa Vang District’s Hoa Lien Commune.

The two municipal-level tasks are to build, manage and develop the certification mark “Thanh Khe Fish Cake” for fish cake products of Thanh Khe District, and the collective trademark for Tuy Loan Rice Paper of Hoa Vang District. The national-level task is to register protection, management and development of geographical indications for Nam O fish sauce products of the city.

As a result, 2 out of the 6 tasks have been accepted, whilst the remaining are being implemented.

According to Resolution No. 62/2021/NQ-HDND dated December 17, 2021 of the Da Nang People's Council stipulating the level of support for intellectual property registration until 2030, the municipal Department of Science and Technology supports intellectual property registration for 20 enterprises and 18 patent applicants and authors with a total amount of VND 975 million. The unit supports registration for protection, management and development of industrial property rights for 39 community trademarks in the forms of collective trademarks and certification trademarks.

Ms. Le Thi Thuc, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Science and Technology, said that the implementation of intellectual property has been bringing practical results in making intellectual property an important tool, contributing to improving competitiveness, creating an environment to encourage innovation, promoting the city's socio-economic development, and forming an intellectual property culture in society to meet the goals of Decision No. 3836/QD-UBND.

Intellectual property activities are implemented synchronously with many solutions such as consulting, and guiding intellectual property registration procedures for organisations and individuals.  Additionally, propaganda work on intellectual property law is promoted, with many diverse and rich forms. Thanks to that, the awareness of self-protection and respect for intellectual property rights in the city has changed significantly. The municipal Department of Science and Technology is proposing that the Intellectual Property Office of Viet Nam organise specialised training courses on intellectual property for local officials.

Reporting by MAI QUE - Translating by M.DUNG