Vietnam ramps up IP enforcement, handling over 1,400 infringement cases

More than 1,400 intellectual‑property violations were identified and processed in less than a month after Prime Minister Le Minh Hung issued Directive 38 on May 5, directing ministries to tighten IP enforcement. The Ministry of Science and Technology reported 1,146 administrative penalties and 28 criminal referrals, with total fines exceeding VND 12 billion (about US$480,000) and seized infringing goods valued at roughly VND 35.7 billion.

Enforcement actions by market‑surveillance forces rose about 210 % compared with the previous month. The ministry has drafted a decree to allow authorities to block domain names that infringe industrial‑property rights and is building a national IP‑enforcement database slated for launch by the end of 2026 to facilitate case sharing and trend forecasting. Coordination among police, customs, market management and other agencies has been strengthened, and inter‑agency task forces operate across provinces.

The crackdown occurs alongside broader innovation gains: Vietnam rose to 50th in StartupBlink’s 2026 Global Startup Ecosystem Index and digital‑economy activity now accounts for roughly 14 % of GDP.