Speaking at the session on Sept. 23, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan highlighted WIPO’s achievements in intellectual property (IP) protection.

Vietnam has paid due attention to IP protection, considering it a key part of the nation’s strategy on socio-economic and scientific-technological development, said Quan, adding that its National Assembly passed a new civil code on June 14, 2005 and amended the Law on IP on Nov. 29, 2005 to comply with international standards, particularly the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs).

The Deputy Minister also took the occasion to thank WIPO for its technical assistance to Vietnam. He said he hoped WIPO would complete its mission in developing a balanced and accessible IP system.
At the nine-day session, which will wrap up on Sept. 30, 47 ministers and deputy ministers from WIPO member nations elected four deputy general directors and three assistants to the general director.

The participants will put forward decisions on the development of the global IP system and adopt reports by the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) and activities of the Consultation Committee on the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights and the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents.

They will also hear reports on issues related to Internet domain name and those of the Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, Patent Cooperation Treaty (IPC) and International Patent Cooperation (PCT) Unions.

On the sidelines of the event, the Vietnamese delegation held bilateral talks with Switzerland and worked with WIPO General Director Francis Gury and leaders of the China Intellectual Property Agency, the Korean Industrial Property Office and the European and ASEAN Patent Offices.