Protection of Geographical Indications in Vietnam: towards Raising the Participation of Producers

Nguyen Thi Minh Hanh 1 , Trinh Thi Ngoc Anh 1 , Le Thi Yen 1 , Vu Van Tuan 1 and Nguyen Thanh Hai 2

1Faculty of Social Sciences, Vietnam National University of Agriculture Hanoi 131000, Vietnam
2Faculty of Biotechnology, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi 131000, Vietnam
Received: Oct 21, 2020 /
Revised: Aug 26, 2021 /
Published: Aug 11, 2021

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Abstract

This paper aims to review the current situation of the Vietnamese geographical indication (GI) system from both the legal and practical perspectives. It examines how the top-down approach influences the effectiveness and sustainability of the whole system. Further, the paper refers to the European Union (EU)’s experiences, particularly those of France - a representative of the bottom-up approach - to examine whether a shift to the producer-driven approach in GIs is workable in Vietnam. The paper argues that more active roles should be vested on producers represented by their associations during the course of establishment and management of GIs. Taking into account the capacity of producers and their associations in this current stage, the paper suggests a transition period before the producers assume the leading role in the whole system. During that period, it is recommended to endorse the producers’ role through legal recognition of the producers’ representative organizations, capacity building, and awareness-raising for producers and their associations to achieve desirable outcomes for GI development.

Keywords: Intellectual property rights, geographical indications, local products

Article Details

How to Cite
Minh Hanh, N., Anh, T., Yen, L., Tuan, V., & Hai, N. (2021). Protection of Geographical Indications in Vietnam: towards Raising the Participation of Producers. Vietnam Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 4(2), 1087-1099. https://doi.org/10.31817/vjas.2021.4.2.09

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