Addressing a ceremony in Hanoi on November 26 to mark Day for Fighting Fake Goods (November 29), Mr Tuan said production technologies of such goods are getting more and more sophisticated while law enforcement agencies still have a poor capacity for dealing with this thorny issue.

In 2008, there were more than 25,300 violations processed with fines totaling over VND28 billion. In the first six months of 2009, the number of violations reached nearly 12,800 with total fines of over VND26 billion. It’s noteworthy that most cases occurred in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh cities.

Quang Ngoc Cuong, Director General of the Tran Phu copper wires and tubes company, complained that imitation and fake goods have seriously damaged his company’s trademark and prestige.

The Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Cam Tu pledged that his ministry will crack down more severely on violators to protect domestic enterprises’ trademarks and prestige.

Mr Tu called on businesses, craft associations and consumers to cooperate with enforcement agencies in rolling back the current epidemic of fake goods. “It’s essential to ostracize all fake and low-quality goods and notify functional agencies of the discovery of fake goods as soon as possible,” he said.