Hanoi trademark association declares war on pirated goods

Hanoi’s Anti-Counterfeit and Trademark Protection Association made its debut this week by declaring all-out war on pirates.

The association has been set up to mobilise social oirganisations and businesses to join authorities in the fight against counterfeit and low-quality goods.

It’s a move aimed at protecting both consumers and business interests, said Nguyen Ngoc Khoa, deputy director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade and head of the association.

“The production and trade of counterfeit and low-quality goods have become an urgent problem. In Hanoi , low-quality and fake goods are found everywhere, particularly in food, beverages and medicines,” he said.

Khoa said the trade in fakes had increased rapidly, from production and import to distribution and circulation. It involved both domestic and foreign individuals.

In the past, it used to take at least eight months to create imitations, particularly copies of imported goods. But this has been cut to one month due to advanced technology, according to Le The Bao, head of the national association.

Municipal authorities have made some progress in the fight against fake and low-quality goods in recent years. However, there has been a boom in the production and trade of counterfeit goods, Khoa said.

Nine people died recently after drinking alcohol containing high levels of methanol in Ho Chi Minh City, raising alarm bells about the production and circulation of counterfeit and low-quality alcohol, said chief health inspector Tran Quang Trung.

The Ministry of Health has ordered the municipal health department to investigate alcohol production, Trung said.

“During the 2008-09 period, the association will focus on boosting co-operation with businesses and authorised agencies to deal with fake and low-quality goods as well as providing consultancy for businesses to build and protect their trademarks,” Khoa said.

The association will also work with international organisations to learn from their experiences.

VNN

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