Vietnamese enterprises need to accelerate measures developing theirtrademarks with a view to increasing their competitiveness in theprocess of regional and international integration, the Dai Bieu Nhan Dan(People’s Representative) newspaper said.

Thenewspaper said currently in Vietnam, 98 percent of small and mediumenterprises (SMEs) are lacking in strategies to develop their brands.For those which do pay attention to this issue, weak financial capacityprevent them from building long-term and effective plans for thepurpose.

A protected trademark allows enterprisesto develop, forge closer business links and roll out their brands ininternational markets, particularly when the country opens up the marketin line with free trade agreements it has signed.

Intellectual property (IP) is especially important to the pharmaceuticalindustry as most FTAs pay attention to protecting patents and testdata.

IP specialists have proposed that domestic firms quickly register for trademark protection.

Anyfirm with a brand certificated by the National Office for theIntellectual Property of Vietnam is also suggested to utilize the MadridProtocol, a convenient and economical means of securing trademarkregistration which was adopted in 1989.

The Vietnamese Governmentis advised to help domestic firms access market information andincrease their capacity for building trademarks through trainingcourses.

Deputy Director General of the Ministry ofIndustry and Trade’s Trade Promotion Agency, Do Kim Lang, who is alsoDeputy General Secretary of the National Branding Programme, pledgedsupport for enterprises via training and counseling, to help improvetheir competitiveness.-VNA