Travel firms want visa procedures simplified

HCMC – The Government should simplify the visa procedures for international tourists by issuing visas on arrival or e-visas to make the country more attractive to foreign guests, according to local travel firms.

More tourists from Japan, South Korea, the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain have come to Vietnam, reflecting the positive impact of the relaxed visa policy for visitors from these countries.

International tourists can get an entry visa on arrival in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. For Vietnam, foreign tourists must ask travel agencies to complete all Vietnam visa procedures before arrival so that they can get a visa stamp at the border gate and make a fee payment, a process which is time-consuming.

Tien said last-minute tour bookings are popular now, so with the current visa issuance system, Vietnam may lose a lot of such tourists if applying for a visa remains complicated.

Though the Government permitted the issuance of e-visas since the beginning of this year, a large number of tourists have still requested travel agencies for help since the e-visa system has not worked smoothly, Tien said.

Sharing the same view, Lien Bang Travelink director Tu Quy Thanh said many existing problems make Vietnam’s visa policy less attractive.

In particular, international tourists to Phu Quoc Island off mainland Kien Giang Province are not required to apply for an entry visa but if they want to travel to other parts of the country, they will have to apply for a visa.

For international tourists who arrive at other airports than Phu Quoc, they must head to domestic terminals to fly on to the island, which costs airlines more time and human resources.  

According to the Tourism Advisory Board, Vietnam’s visa policy is not as liberal as other regional countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Vietnam now waives entry visas for tourists from 23 countries and territories, but Thailand does that for 58 source markets, Malaysia 164, Singapore 160, Indonesia 169 and the Philippines 160.

Vietnam’s visa exemptions apply to short visits only, whereas tourists in the other countries can stay for up to 30 days or even 90 days in some cases.

Source: The Saigon Times

Read More

Vietnam’s energy sector faces tough competition

HANOI – Vietnam’s energy sector is facing tough competition with many countries in Asia and America since most energy giants have scaled down investment due to the low oil price, said Mark Edmunds, Southeast Asia Energy & Resources Industry Leader and Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Sector Leader for Deloitte.

Speaking to the Daily, Edmunds said many countries are struggling to attract foreign investors in the sector as the oil price has remained low over the past four years. Even big companies like ExxonMobil, BP and Shell have become choosy before entering a market.

To attract investors, authorities should consider important factors such as tax policies, business environment and administrative papers. With less capital moving around, companies are looking for shorter investment cycles to recover cash quickly.

Aside from Southeast Asia, Mexico is emerging as a new investment destination for oil giants. It has opened its market after prohibiting foreign investment for nearly 80 years.

Regarding power generation in Vietnam, Edmunds said the nation has seen many coal fired and hydropower plants. However, the Government is shifting to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and natural gas.

The U.S. has improved air quality significantly thanks to the use of gas-fired electricity, while China and India are also following suit. This move would be good for Vietnam as well as a more balanced use of energy sources will help protect the environment.

At present, Vietnam still imports natural gas for domestic use. However, as the demand for natural gas continues to rise, the nation is expected to become a natural gas exporter in the future.

The expert said Vietnam is going on the right way for giving incentives to attract foreign investors into the energy sector. Earlier, many large enterprises have invested in Vietnam because of the qualified workforce and appropriate investment policies.

Under the current circumstances, the nation should invest in technology to develop its natural resources properly, and protect its natural gas reserves and the environment, Edmunds added.

Source: The SaiGon Times

Read More

Taxman wants sweeping power to fight tax violations

HCMC – The General Department of Taxation has proposed new regulations that give sweeping power to tax authorities to fight tax violations, including putting violators in custody or filing criminal charges against them.

In the draft law on tax management sent to the Government, the tax authority plans to set up a force with investigative power, build a database and take professional measures to prevent violations against the tax law.

Besides, the tax authority wants to have authority to ask related agencies, organizations and individuals to provide information and documents to facilitate investigations, as well as seal goods, storehouses, documents, and detain violators in case there is proof of violations.

If serious violations subject to criminal charges are detected, the taxman can initiate prosecution and undertake investigations in accordance with the criminal procedure code and the law on organization of criminal investigation bodies.

According to the tax authority, those regulations are proposed to deter and prevent tax evasion and fraud.

As explained by the tax department, tax investigations are by nature prosecutions against taxpayers who intentionally decline to fulfill their tax obligations.

The taxman, according to the proposed regulations, can launch investigations without prior notice, and investigated tax payers will have lawyers or representatives during the process.

Many countries have already assigned tax investigations to their tax bodies. Once violations need to be prosecuted, tax authorities will take measures to collect evaded taxes, and at the same time hand over the cases to competent authorities in compliance with the criminal proceedings law.

More than 80 countries, including some ASEAN countries, have set up tax investigation bodies. The tax management body in Vietnam consists of both tax and customs agencies, with the customs having been given power to launch investigations in its area but the tax authority having no such power.

Source: The Saigon Times

Read More

Protecting Intellectual Property Rights Abroad for Vietnam Enterprises

The development of international supply chains has become a critical success factor for big companies, and should be seen as important key for products of developing countries to gain entry into high standard market such as USA, European Countries, and Japan. However, many Vietnam companies have experienced problems in shifting their supply chain abroad as well as managed their intellectual property such as geographical indication, trademarks.

On October 24th, 2017, Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA) in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights (AIPPI) organized the seminar “Protecting intellectual property rights abroad for Vietnamese enterprises” to provide Vietnam companies value information for protecting their Intellectual Property right in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and global supply chain development.

All the experts have strongly recognized the important role of intellectual property protection abroad for Vietnamese enterprises and introduced:

-Introduction to the International World of Intellectual property

-Protecting a valuable asset- How to protect your Brand with Madrid

-Options to protect an invention: Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and trade Secrets

-Introduction to the international design System- Hague

-Other WIPO services, Tools and Products

-About International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property- AIPPI (Association Internationale pour la Protection de la Propriété Intellectuelle)

Vietnam is a member of the WIPO and is a signatory to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. It has acceded to the Patent Cooperation Treaty and the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks, and in 2004 joined the Berne Convention. Therefore, the Vietnamese enterprises should file trademarks, patents or industrial designs by international systems for saving cost and managing the registration procedures effectively. However, it is suggested that the international Bureau of WIPO does not decide whether trademarks, patents or industrial designs are eligible for protection or not, and the final decisions must depend on Intellectual Property law of each country i.e. Vietnam. For differences of laws in every country and difficult techniques when preparing Intellectual Property application, applicants should find valuable assistant from Intellectual Property agent.

Our licensed agent of intellectual property practice at ANT Lawyers helps clients to protect, and profit from their intellectual assets in Vietnam.

ANT Lawyers is supported by a team of experienced patent, trademark, design attorneys with qualification and skills handling full range of legal services relating to intellectual property in Vietnam.  We have specialized in the preparation and registration of patents, trademarks and designs for our clients.

Tuan Nguyen and Thao Hoang at ANT Lawyers

Read More