A Breakthrough Year for Vietnam’s Intellectual Property System

The 2024 Annual Report records outstanding achievements of the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IP Vietnam) in receiving and processing applications and granting protection titles. It also highlights important progress in institutional development, international integration, digital transformation, and the development of the intellectual property asset ecosystem—laying the foundation for an acceleration phase in 2025.

In 2024, IP Vietnam received nearly 153,000 industrial property applications, including more than 89,000 applications for the establishment of rights, representing a 5.0% increase compared with 2023. The Office processed nearly 143,300 applications and granted over 53,600 protection titles, the highest level recorded in the past three years. Notably, the examination of patent, trademark, and industrial design applications showed significant improvements in both processing time and examination quality, better meeting the needs of organizations, individuals, and enterprises.

Institution-building and regulatory improvement efforts continued to be intensified throughout the year. IP Vietnam took the lead in drafting a Circular amending and supplementing Circular No. 23/2023/TT-BKHCN to ensure the effective implementation of the Intellectual Property Law. At the same time, it widely disseminated and actively implemented the Intellectual Property Strategy to 2030 across ministries, sectors, and localities. Complaint resolution, rights protection, and IP law enforcement were further strengthened, contributing to more effective protection and exploitation of intellectual property assets.

In the area of international integration, many notable results were achieved. IP Vietnam successfully hosted the 72nd Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) in Da Nang, while effectively implementing bilateral cooperation activities with WIPO, EPO, JPO, KIPO, and many other international partners. The Office also actively carried out technical assistance projects to enhance internal capacity and improve the quality of services provided to citizens and businesses.

Communication, training, and support for intellectual property asset development continued to be strengthened. Numerous specialized training programs and targeted communication activities tailored to different stakeholder groups were effectively implemented. The rate of online filings and the use of fully integrated online public services continued to rise, contributing to administrative reform, enhanced transparency, and higher satisfaction among citizens and businesses.

Entering 2025—a pivotal year for implementing the 2021–2025 Socio-Economic Development Plan and preparing for the 14th National Party Congress—IP Vietnam has identified several key priorities. The Office will continue to refine intellectual property policies and legislation, promptly institutionalizing and concretizing the guidelines and directions of the Party and the State, while addressing legal gaps in response to new development requirements. IP Vietnam aims to promptly and decisively clear the backlog of industrial property applications, with the goal of returning application processing activities to a normal state by 2026. In parallel, administrative procedure reform and comprehensive digital transformation will be further accelerated; management, financial mechanisms, and organizational structures will be improved in accordance with Decision No. 166/QD-BKHCN on the functions, tasks, and organizational structure of the Office. Another key objective is to develop an intellectual property asset ecosystem linked to innovation and technology transfer, thereby enhancing the value and competitiveness of products and services in the economy.

With the close leadership of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the support of ministries, sectors, and local authorities, and the spirit of unity and responsibility of civil servants, public employees, and workers, IP Vietnam is determined to successfully fulfill its tasks in 2025, making practical contributions to socio-economic development and the successful implementation of the national development strategy in the new period.

The 2024 Annual Report on Intellectual Property Activities can be downloaded [here].