The Vietnam E-Commerce and Information Technology Agency (“VECITA”) published a notice on 20 April 2017 on its web page aiming to promote the authentication of information on counterfeit, prohibited or restricted infringing goods on e-commerce websites.

Within the framework of the notice VECITA requests following procedures:

-Assessment, review and elimination of posting of infringing goods on e-commerce platforms;
-Procedures to prevent the posting and removal of information about infringing goods from e-commerce platforms (like blocking by keywords such as “falsification”, “super fake”, etc.); and
-Implementing procedures to handle requests and reports from brand owners or from regulatory authorities on posts on websites concerning infringing products or other illegal business practices.

The notice also provides that non-compliance with the requests for information from dealers and organizations having e-commerce platforms will result in penalties ranging from VND 40 million to VND 80 million in accordance with Article 83 of Decree 124/2015/ND-CP which regulating penalties for administrative violations in commercial activities, production and trading in counterfeit and banned goods, and protection of consumer rights.