Da Nang – Boras (Sweden) cooperates in the field of science education

On the afternoon of January 15th, 2021, the People’s Committee of Da Nang City in collaboration with the city government of Boras (Sweden) organized an online seminar on the UN’s sustainable development goals to 2030, within the framework of the project “Scientific education for sustainable development in Da Nang” cooperation between Da Nang and Boras.

 

Based on the UN’s sustainable development goals up to 2030, in which education, environment, science, and technology development are the goals that Da Nang cares for and develops. The city seeks to ensure quality, open and equitable education and increase lifelong learning opportunities for all the citizens, ensure availability and sustainable management of water resources of the city, build solid infrastructure, promote open and sustainable industrialization, and encourage innovation. The city takes urgent measures to combat climate change and its impacts, conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development, protection, regeneration, and promotion encourage the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, manage forest resources sustainably, combat desertification, prevent soil erosion and loss of biodiversity.

For the Boras city -Sweden, with the goal of sustainable development, Boras city focuses on implementing a number of contents such as improving the institutional system, policies, strengthen information and communication, promote the role and participation of the parties, arrange, mobilize and strengthen financial resources, and strengthen international cooperation.

Da Nang hopes that science education project for sustainable development in Da Nang, which is cooperated between Da Nang and Boras, will have specific activities, contributing to improving the capacity of science education, promoting innovation associated with sustainable development goals in the city.

Da Nang and Boras have cooperated for many years, with many policies to attract and support Swedish investors. Many Swedish investors and enterprises have chosen Da Nang as the investment destination in Vietnam to set up company, establish factory, apply for investment registration certificate. In the coming time, Da Nang-Boras hopes that more investors from Sweden will invest in the city in wastewater and solid waste treatment projects to further strengthen cooperation in investment, education, and science between the two cities.

ANT Lawyers is a law firm in Vietnam located in the business centers of Hanoi, Danang, Ho Chi Minh city. We provide convenient access to our clients. Please contact our lawyers in Vietnam for advice via email ant@antlawyers.vn or call our office at +84 28 730 86 529

 

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Brief Reminder of Time Schedule to Apply PCT Application into Vietnam

According to Vietnam Law on Intellectual property, a PCT applicant who would like to go into Vietnamese phase after the end of PCT procedures need to submit the application within the following duration:

Vietnam patent

If an international application designates Vietnam, the National Office of Intellectual Property in Vietnam (NOIP) is the designated office. In this case, in order to enter the national phase, the applicant shall submit, within 31 months from the date of priority, to the NOIP the following:

-Written declaration requesting invention registration, made according to a set form;

-Copy of the international application (if the applicant requests the entry into the national phase before the date of publication of the international publication);

-Vietnamese translation of the international application: The description, consisting of a description section, protection request, annotations for drawings and abstract (the published copy or initially filed original application, if the application has not yet been published, and modified copy and explanation of modified contents, if the international application has been modified under Article 19 of Patent Cooperation Treaty;

-National charges and fees.

If an international application elects Vietnam, the NOIP is the elected office. In this case, if the election of Vietnam is made within 19 months from the date of priority, in order to enter the national phase, the applicant shall submit, within 31 months from the date of priority, to the NOIP the following documents:

-Written declaration request;

-Sting invention registration, made according to a set form;

-Vietnamese translation of the international application: The description, consisting of a description section, protection request, annotations for drawings and abstract (the published copy or initially filed original application, if the application has not yet been published, and modified copy and explanation of modified contents, if the international application has been modified under Article 19 and/or Article 34(2)(b) of the Treaty);

-Vietnamese translations of annexes to the international preliminary examination report (when substantive examination of the application is requested);

-National charges and fees.

After having submitted the application, the time  when the processing of an international application designating or electing Vietnam in the national phase starts is the first day of the thirty second month from the date of priority if the applicant files no written request for entry into the national phase earlier than the above time limits. The international application shall be put to formality examination and substantive examination according to the procedures applicable to ordinary invention registration applications. If the applicant requests in writing earlier examination of his/her application and pay the prescribed charge, the international application shall be examined earlier than the time limit specified above in accordance with the provisions of Article 2 3(2) of the Treaty.

Please be noted that in addition to the cases where an international application is considered withdrawn specified in the Treaty and the Regulation on implementation of the Treaty, an international application designating or electing Vietnam shall be considered withdrawn if the national fees are not paid to the NOIP or there is no Vietnamese translation upon the expiration of the set time limit.

It is important to adhere to the deadline and patent attorney in Vietnam of ANT Lawyers always follow up with the Client to remind on the schedule to follow when submitting for PCT application in Vietnam.

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P2P Lending – The new Form of Credit Extension in Financial Technology Era

Peer to Peer Lending (P2P) has becoming more popular in many countries. This form first appeared in the UK since 2005, then succeeded in the US and China markets. By 2017, P2P lending businesses start to appear in Vietnam in different forms.

Banking and dispute lawyers in Vietnam

Three subject matters in P2P lending relation include: investor (or lender), intermediary company (P2P Lending Company) and borrower. P2P Lending utilizes digital technology platform connecting lenders and borrowers directly, cutting out the credit institution as the middleman. Accordingly, P2P Lending Company provides online services (website, app) that match lenders with borrowers. The idea is that, all borrowing, debt payment (principal and interest) between the borrowers and lenders are recorded and stored by the online transaction platform. This method is completely different from the traditional loan form by increasing the ability to successfully connect lenders and borrower through online platforms along with advanced financial technology systems.

The relationship between lenders and borrowers is civil relation, therefore, the lending or payment is based on the regulations of Vietnam Civil Code. According to P2P Lending Company, the nature of P2P Lending Company is a broker between lenders and borrowers through technology. However, under Article 8.2 of Law on Credit Institutions 2010: “Individuals and organizations which is not credit institutions are prohibited from conducting banking operations, excepting escrow, purchase and sale of securities by securities companies”. Therefore, it is challenging for stakeholders to clearly define the boundary services could extend under P2P mode without violation of the laws.

In a good term, P2P lending creates a new way for approaching the loans when borrowers are not satisfied for the conditions of conventional bank loans. The advantages of P2P lending in Vietnam are the simplification of procedures, fast approval for loans, easy online transaction, in comparison to borrowing from banks which requires a complex and strict examination process.. Since P2P Lending Company offers these services online, it is expected it can operate with lower overhead and provide the service at a cheaper price than traditional financial institutions. If applying appropriately, P2P lending could be a solution to minimize other illegal lending services in Vietnam.

The Vietnam government has assigned The State Bank to build a legal framework for credit extension activities under the form of P2P Lending to promote the positive aspects of this service. At ANT Lawyers, a law firm in Vietnam, with offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, we have technology, IP and business lawyers whom are familiar with development of digital transformation in Vietnam that could bring new ways of doing business leveraging on high rate of Vietnam smartphone users to prove a better services to high tech start-up clients entering Vietnam market.

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Banking and Finance in Vietnam

Banking and finance sector always attract investors as the growth of financial services in a growing economy. Our banking and finance lawyers in Vietnam constantly monitor the changes of the Vietnam regulations to update our client and provide them with best service.

Banking system in Vietnam has been organized according to the traditional model in which State Bank manages all commercial banks and other credit organizations. According to the Vietnam Law on Credit Institutions, there are six organizational forms of credit institutions: domestic commercial bank established and organized as joint stock company, state commercial bank formed as one-member limited liability company, domestic non-bank credit institution as joint stock or limited liability company, joint venture or wholly foreign-owned credit institution as limited liability company, cooperative bank and people’s credit funds as cooperatives, microfinance institution as limited liability company.

Banking and finance sector is a highly regulated area. Vietnam laws require commercial bank on legal capital of VND 3,000 billion at the setting-up.  Further, commercial banks’ operation must comply with decisions of State Bank and other authorities. Each type of credit institution has different conditions on organization, management, operation. Commercial bank, the type allowed to operate in largest scope is permitted to take demand deposits, time deposits, savings deposits; issue deposit certificates, promissory note, treasure bills, bonds to raise capital at home and abroad; open payment accounts for clients, provide payment instruments, domestic and international payment services; extend credit while the others just conduct some of the above activities.

For foreign investor, to engage in banking and finance in Vietnam, they could commercially present in Vietnam in the forms of representative office, joint-venture bank, wholly foreign-owned bank, foreign bank branch, joint-venture finance company, wholly foreign-owned finance company, joint-venture financial leasing company and wholly foreign-owned financial leasing company base on the Law on credit institutions, Circular no.07/2013/TT-NHNN, Circular no. 20/2008/TT-BTC, and Circular no. 18/2018/TT-BTC.

Professionals at ANT Lawyers work on many a variety of banking and financial services cases. Our attorney’s industry knowledge and expertise allow us to effectively support the banking and financial services sector. ANT Lawyers - Law firm in Vietnam that provide relevant industry-focused advice, delivered quickly to ensure that we add value from day one. ANT Lawyers, your lawyers in Vietnam.

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How Payment by Documentary Credit in International Commerce Works?

Documentary Credit (also known as letter of credit or bankers commercial credit, or letter of undertaking) is one of the payment instruments that institutions providing non-cash payment services (banks, foreign bank branches, etc.) deal with to make a valid payment transaction at the request of the account holder. Documentary credit is the most commonly used for payment of international sales of goods.

Banking and Finance Law Firm in Vietnam

The supply of international payment services by institutions providing non-cash payment services shall be conducted in accordance with regulations of the law on foreign exchange management, treaties to which Vietnam is a member and commercial practices (including international commercial practices provided by the International Chamber of Commerce; and other commercial practices which are not contrary to the Vietnamese laws) which agreed upon by the parties.

According to UCP 600, credit means any arrangement, however named or described, that is irrevocable and thereby constitutes a definite undertaking of the issuing bank to honour a complying presentation.  Documentary credit is an independent and separate transaction from the sales and other contracts on which it may be based. The Issuing Banks and Advising Banks are in no way concerned with or bound by contract between the Applicant (purchaser) and the Beneficiary (seller), even if any reference whatsoever to it is included in the credit. Banks deal with documents only. Goods, services or performance to which the documents may relate are not under scope of handling of the Banks. When the issuing bank determines that a presentation of documents is complying, payment shall be made.

The independence between the documentary credit and the sales contract ensures that the seller definitely receives payment if complying presentation, however, does not protect the interests of the purchaser when there is any dispute about the quality of the delivered goods or any other dispute after delivery. When the seller presents complying documents, the issuing bank is obliged to make payment without any doubt whether the goods have actually been delivered according to the specifications as specified in the contract. At the same time, the cancellation or termination of contract does not affect the effectiveness of documentary credit, payment still is made if presentation is complying.

International payment instruments play an important role in commercial transactions between parties residing in different countries. Each payment method reflects the way of receiving and paying for goods amount between the buyer and the seller. The parties participating in international commerce transaction need to understand the characteristics of each payment instrument to protect their rights and obligations, and avoid disputes in international sales of goods, or disputes in financial service using letter of credit or other forms, disputes in performance of contract and should involve lawyers in early stage if possible to avoid mishap.

ANT Lawyers - 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 service request, please contact us via email ant@antlawyers.vn, or call us +84 24 730 86 529

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