Dong Thap to reform protection of community trademarks

In response to the implementation of the two-tier local government model and the expansion of development space following administrative merger, Dong Thap province sets a goal of reforming the management, utilization, and protection of community trademarks, viewing them as an important tool to increase the value of the province’s signature products and drive the agricultural economy.

Recently, the Dong Thap Department of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the Center for Technology Research and Intellectual Property (CIPTEK), organized a workshop to assess the current status and propose solutions for reforming the management, utilization, protection, and development of intellectual property assets associated with community trademarks that have already been granted intellectual property rights across the province.

According to a report presented at the workshop, the former Tien Giang area had established 28 community trademarks prior to the administrative merger, including two geographical indications (GIs), seven certification trademarks, and 19 collective trademarks. These trademarks have served as an important foundation for building local agricultural product brands over the years. However, practical implementation has shown that the system has yet to deliver results commensurate with its potential.

Mr. Nguyen Tran Hai Dang, an expert from CIPTEK, noted that before the merger and the dissolution of the district level, local authorities had proactively transferred responsibility for managing community trademarks to the Department of Science and Technology. However, inter-agency coordination remained insufficiently robust. With the implementation of the two-tier local government model, gaps in communication, oversight, and information feedback have become increasingly evident.

Notably, human resources have emerged as a major bottleneck. 97.3% of officials responsible for community trademark-related tasks at the grassroots level serve concurrently, while only 2.7% are specialized staff. The proportion of personnel directly engaged in trademark use monitoring, quality control, and production area planning also remains low.

Beyond the shortage of human resources, legal support has remained largely limited to the stage of establishing intellectual property rights. Key aspects such as governance, commercial exploitation, infringement enforcement, and renewal of trademark protection have received limited attention. The absence of a centralized database has also left some community trademarks at risk of lapsing or failing to realize their full value.

In practice, the performance of community trademarks varies significantly. Several products, such as Go Cong water jasmine, Go Cong rice, Go Cong watermelon, Tan Phuoc pineapple candy, and Cai Lay Chinese sausage, have established a solid foothold in the market.

However, the survey results show that only 13.4% of trademark holders have expanded their production area, 28% have increased output, 15% have achieved higher selling prices, and just 8.5% have recorded a significant improvement in revenue. These figures indicate that community trademarks have yet to become the catalyst for enhancing the value of agricultural products as originally envisioned.

Digital transformation also remains a notable weakness. Many community trademarks lack dedicated websites, have yet to establish a presence on e-commerce platforms, and have not integrated product traceability systems, limiting their market access and constraining opportunities to expand sales.

Mr. Tran Hoai Phong, a representative of the Culture and Social Affairs Division of An Thanh Thuy Commune, said that Cho Gao dragon fruit had previously faced cases in which foreign traders purchased the fruit directly from orchards and exported it under different trademarks. Meanwhile, the representative of Tan Thuan Binh Commune noted that defining the scope of management and utilization of community trademarks has become increasingly challenging following the administrative merger and the transition to the new governance model.

According to Mr. Do Viet Dung, Deputy Director of CIPTEK, the province should shift strongly from a "rights establishment" mindset to one focused on the governance and operation of intellectual property assets while empowering local communities, accelerating digital transformation, strengthening quality control, and enhancing the commercial exploitation of these assets in the coming times.

At the same time, Dong Thap plans to register seven new certification trademarks to replace collective trademarks that have not performed effectively. These include Go Cong acerola, Cho Gao dragon fruit, Go Cong fermented shrimp paste, My Tho rice noodles, Tan Phu Dong soursop, Cai Lay durian, and Tan Phu Dong lemongrass.

Mr. Nguyen Van Dam, Deputy Director of the Dong Thap Department of Science and Technology, said the province will continue advising on plans to train and build the capacity of officials responsible for community trademarks, while refining management mechanisms to ensure the effective maintenance and development of community trademarks. The efforts are expected to create favorable conditions for farmers to better capitalize on the value of their protected products.