The Vietnamese government has announced significant changes related to its implementation of the Hague System for International Design Applications. These changes will take effect on August 21, 2025, aiming to better align with domestic laws and simplify procedures for applicants seeking design protection in Vietnam.

The main updates include:

The international application for Vietnam no longer needs to include claims.

Vietnam now allows requests for delayed publication (up to 7 months), but according to the Hague system, the standard 12-month publication period still applies.

When the applicant designates Vietnam, they can now indicate which design is the main design and which are variant designs, which is consistent with domestic legal requirements.

IIQatar officially implements trademark electronic certificate system

The Qatar Trademark Office has officially launched a major digital upgrade trial run of its services. The core measures of this upgrade include publishing the "Official Trademark Gazette" in electronic form and issuing electronic registration certificates.

Starting from July 30, 2025, Qatar will officially implement an electronic certificate system for trademarks. Relevant registration certificates will be issued in electronic form and have the same legal effect as paper certificates.

In the current transitional stage, the Trademark Office will adopt a dual track operation mode, where some selected trademark certificates will only be issued in electronic form and paper certificates will no longer be provided; At the same time, some certificates will still be temporarily issued in traditional paper form, and electronic systems will gradually be fully implemented. This transition mode aims to ensure that all trademark holders can smoothly transition during the digital process testing and improvement period.

This move is part of the Qatar government's comprehensive digital transformation strategy for all public services.

IIIThe United States Patent and Trademark Office announces accelerated patent grant programs with Belize, Guatemala, and the United Arab Emirates

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has reached an agreement with the governments of Belize, Guatemala, and the United Arab Emirates in Geneva, Switzerland. According to the agreement, these countries will respectively accelerate the granting of patents to applicants who have previously obtained US patents and submitted corresponding patent protection applications in these countries.

Our accelerated patent authorization program is a key part of the USPTO's international engagement strategy, "added Coke Morgan Stewart, Acting Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Acting Director of the USPTO. We are proud to contribute to President Trump's agenda and look forward to further strengthening cooperation with these important trading partners

Accelerating patent authorization agreements enables American innovators to obtain patents faster and more predictable in partner countries, promotes cooperation between the US Patent and Trademark Office and its counterparts, and opens up important new investment and business expansion opportunities in foreign markets. According to these plans, when a US patent applicant obtains a US patent, the cooperating office will accelerate the grant of patent rights to the corresponding application based on authorization from the US Patent and Trademark Office.