How Important is End-User License Agreement in Vietnam?

End-user license agreement (EULA) is a legal agreement enter between two parties which are software developer or provider and software user. Terms and Conditions could cover a large scope of matters, for example, payment schedule, privacy policy, providing service to third party, solving arisen disputes and even inclusive of EULA. Whilst, EULA almost focuses on agreement of giving the user using software right and includes the regulations related to grant of license, limitations or using period of the software.

 

Software Compliance Law Firm in Vietnam

Normally, after the user downloads the software and officially install it, an EULA would be shown out for user to understand its rights and obligations and agreed to. EULA may be called by different names which are License Agreement, Software license agreement, etc.

What is the nature of EULA?

This is a commitment which developer or provider create and user must abide by before installing the software. However, this does not mean from the time user agrees to EULA, user will be the owner of the software. The user only has the legal using right to that software. Some important matters to consider would be granting of license, limitation of granting of license, and IP.

Firstly, “Granting of License” is a prerequisite of this agreement when clearly state that user will be granted using software right. Secondly, the term “Limitation” is also a very important term of EULA as after installing, user may utilize the software in lots of purposes which are both legal and illegal and may affect the software developer/provider or any third party. Thus, this term particularly regulates the activities which users are not allowed to do while using the software. Thirdly, “Intellectual Property” is a pretty popular term in almost all type of agreements to protect the developer in copyrights. Besides, there are other terms such as “software update, maintenance and technical assistance, ability limitation, regulated law, etc.” and for each particular case and purpose of the owner, the agreement might also cover other appropriate terms.

End User License Agreement is a very important agreement attached to the software to guide the users and protect rights of the software developer or provider. Therefore, this agreement should be anticipating all cases as software owner wish to avoid disputes and even in the case of violation, the agreement will be the starting points to recover the damages to the developer and software owner.

 

We are a law firm in Vietnam with international standard, local expertise and strong international network. We focus on customers’ needs and provide clients with a high quality legal advice and services. For advice or services request, please contact us via email ant@antlawyers.vn, or call us +84 24 730 86 529.

 

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How Important is End-User License Agreement in Vietnam?

End-user license agreement (EULA) is a legal agreement enter between two parties which are software developer or provider and software user. Terms and Conditions could cover a large scope of matters, for example, payment schedule, privacy policy, providing service to third party, solving arisen disputes and even inclusive of EULA. Whilst, EULA almost focuses on agreement of giving the user using software right and includes the regulations related to grant of license, limitations or using period of the software.

Software Compliance Law Firm in Vietnam

Normally, after the user downloads the software and officially install it, an EULA would be shown out for user to understand its rights and obligations and agreed to. EULA may be called by different names which are License Agreement, Software license agreement, etc.

What is the nature of EULA?

This is an commitment which developer or provider create and user must abide by before installing the software. However, this does not mean from the time user agrees to EULA, user will be the owner of the software. The user only has the legal using right to that software. Some important matters to consider would be granting of license, limitation of granting of license, and IP.

Firstly, “Granting of License” is a prerequisite of this agreement when clearly state that user will be granted using software right. Secondly, the term “Limitation” is also a very important term of EULA as after installing, user may utilize the software in lots of purposes which are both legal and illegal and may affect the software developer/provider or any third party. Thus, this term particularly regulates the activities which users are not allow to do while using the software. Thirdly, “Intellectual Property” is a pretty popular term in almost all type of agreements to protect the developer in copyrights. Besides, there are other terms such as “software update, maintenance and technical assistance, ability limitation, regulated law, etc.” and for each particular case and purpose of the owner, the agreement might also cover other appropriate terms.

End User License Agreement is a very important agreement attached to the software to guide the users and protect rights of the software developer or provider. Therefore, this agreement should be anticipating all cases as software owner wish to avoid disputes and even in the case of violation, the agreement will be the starting points to recover the damages to the developer and software owner.

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Is a copyright like a trademark?

Copyright protects creative works. In modern law, copyright is automatic, but registering your copyright with the government may give additional benefits. Copyright includes the right to control who makes copies (thus the name), but also the right to make derivative works — new works that are not identical to the original, but are based on it.

Copyright in Vietnam 

Copyright lasts for the life of the author + 50 years or more, depending on country. If the author is a corporation, it lasts 50 years (again, or more, depending on country). In the US, these are life + 75 years and 95 years, respectively.

Copyright does not apply to individual words, names, titles, or short phrases; it’s considered that if these could be copyrighted, it would be too restrictive. Being able to keep anyone else from using a certain word, for example, could stifle speech to far too great a degree.

That’s where trademarks come in. A trademark is something that identifies a product, company, or brand in trade. You can trademark a word, name, title, or phrase… but trademark rights are much more limited than copyrights. First off, trademarks only apply in a limited field. For example, if I trademark “The Big Beef” for my hypothetical restaurant, I have to specify what areas I’m trademarking it in. Food services, of course, but I might also trademark it for apparel, if I’m planning on selling t-shirts with that on them.

Trademarks can also be geographically limited. That’s why there can be a “Joe’s Garage” in one town, and a different “Joe’s Garage” in another. Each can hold the trademark in the area where they engage in trade.

Engagement in trade is a big part of having a trademark. In the US, even if you register your trademark, if six years go by and you haven’t actually used it in trade, it lapses. If you do use it, your registration lasts for 10 years, but can be renewed as long as you keep using the mark.

So, trademarks can last longer than copyrights… but if you stop using them, then they go away fairly quickly.

Lastly, you can lose a trademark for failing to defend it. If other people use your trademark, and you don’t tell them to stop, you can be assumed to have given up the trademark. You can’t lose copyrights in this way.

Source:https://www.quora.com/Is-a-copyright-like-a-trademark/answer/Travis-Casey-4

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Measures to Prevent and Ensure Administrative Sanctions of Software Piracy

Vietnam is among countries with the highest rate of software piracy in the world, although the rate has reduced from 92% in 2004, to 81% in 2011, 78% in 2015 according to the report of BSA, The Software Alliance that promote legal software use and advocates for public policies that foster technology innovation and drive growth in the digital economy.

Copyright Enforcement Law Firm in Vietnam

Computer software is protected as literary works, one of types of works eligible for copyright protection in accordance with Article 14 of Vietnam law on intellectual property 2005, amended and supplemented in 2009. Unlicensed software is unauthorized use or distribution of copyrighted software.  Copyright infringements include publishing, distributing, copying, using, leasing out, duplicating, importing, exporting a work without permission from the author or copyright holder according to Article 28 of Vietnam law on intellectual property 2005, amended and supplemented in 2009.

The government of Vietnam has been striving to coordinate between ministries to increase awareness and encourage the software license compliance. Further, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has coordinated with Ministry of Public Security to increase frequency of inspecting the software license compliance in Vietnam as part of intellectual property right enforcement effort.

According to the provisions of Article 215 of the 2005 Intellectual Property Law, there are measures under the law of Vietnam to prevent and secure administrative sanctions.

In the following cases, organizations and individuals may request Vietnam competent agencies to apply preventive measures and ensure administrative sanction as provided for in Clause 2, Article 215 of the 2005 Intellectual Property Law:

-An act of infringement of intellectual property rights is likely to cause serious loss and damage to consumers or society;

-Material evidence of the infringement is likely to be dispersed or there are indications that the offender will evade responsibility;

In order to secure enforcement of a decision imposing an administrative penalty, preventive measures and/or measures to secure enforcement of administrative penalties which may be applied in accordance with administrative procedures to acts of infringement of intellectual property rights shall comprise:

-Temporary detention of persons;

-Temporary custody of infringing goods, material evidence and facilities;

-Body searches;

-Searches of means of transport and objects; searches of places where infringing goods, material evidence and facilities are hidden;

-Other administrative preventive measures in accordance with the law on dealing with administrative breaches

How ANT Lawyers Could Help Your Business?

To learn more about ANT Lawyers IP Practice or contact our Intellectual Property Lawyers in Vietnam for advice via email ant@antlawyers.vn or call our office at (+84) 24 32 23 27 71

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