On the morning of 2/6, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung chaired a preliminary review conference on the implementation of the Prime Minister's Directive 38, which focuses on combating, preventing, and handling intellectual property infringement.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung speaks at the preliminary review conference on the peak campaign to combat, prevent, and handle intellectual property infringement, on the morning of 2/6. Photo: Gia Huy

Reporting at the conference, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh stated that by 30/5, national authorities had detected 2,036 cases of suspected intellectual property infringement. Of these, 1,616 cases resulted in administrative penalties, with total fines reaching nearly 17,9 billion VND; the value of infringing goods seized exceeded 115,5 billion VND. Approximately 1,600 organizations and individuals were penalized as per regulations.

Authorities blocked access to 1,073 infringing websites, including 263 pirated film sites, 177 pirated story sites, 612 illegal television streaming pages, and 21 e-commerce websites showing signs of industrial property infringement.

Additionally, judicial bodies initiated criminal proceedings in 44 cases related to intellectual property infringement; 43 cases received approval for prosecution, 5 cases were indicted, and 4 cases were accepted by courts for trial.

Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan speaks at the preliminary review conference on the peak campaign to combat, prevent, and handle intellectual property infringement, on the morning of 2/6. Photo: Gia Huy

According to Deputy Minister Hoang Minh, violations related to trademarks and geographical indications constituted the largest proportion. Among the total administrative cases, 1,587 involved trademark and geographical indication infringement, 27 involved copyright and related rights infringement, and two cases belonged to other intellectual property violation categories.

During the recent peak campaign, police dismantled numerous illegal football streaming websites, such as CakhiaTV and Rakhoi TV, seizing evidence with a total value exceeding 28 billion VND. Market management forces also inspected and handled 1,520 industrial property infringement cases, primarily involving trademark counterfeiting, with total fines over 15 billion VND and seized goods valued at approximately 12 billion VND.

Compared to the same period in 2025, the number of cases handled increased by 370%, fines increased by 300%, and the value of seized evidence increased by 800%, exceeding the Prime Minister's target of at least a 20% increase. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were the two localities that handled the most cases, with 340 and 234 cases respectively.

The Ministry of Science and Technology reported that enforcement agencies have shifted from passively receiving and processing complaints to actively detecting, combating, and preventing infringements. However, intellectual property infringement remains complex, employing new methods and tactics, particularly online and on e-commerce platforms.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh speaks at the preliminary review conference on the peak campaign to combat, prevent, and handle intellectual property infringement, on the morning of 2/6. Photo: Gia Huy

Concluding the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung evaluated the achieved results as a positive sign, demonstrating the synchronized involvement of law enforcement agencies. However, he noted that intellectual property protection and enforcement still have limitations that need addressing.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested ministries, sectors, and localities to launch a new peak campaign, combating intellectual property infringement more vigorously. The aim is to increase the number of violations handled by at least 20% compared to 2025 across all stages: inspection, administrative processing, investigation, prosecution, and trial.

He also called for research into increasing administrative penalties to enhance deterrence. Concurrently, he assigned the Ministry of Science and Technology to collaborate with the Ministry of Public Security in building a national database on intellectual property enforcement, aiming for operation this year.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Ministry of Science and Technology should continue reforming industrial property protection registration procedures, supporting individuals and businesses in protecting their intellectual property. The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism needs to intensify efforts against unauthorized copying and distribution of works and broadcasts online. The Ministry of Public Security should accelerate investigations and handle violations, applying criminal measures where conditions for prosecution are met.

Vu Tuan