How do I use samples in my music without infringing copyrights?

It depends on a couple of things: how you plan to use the music and whether or not the average listener will be able to identify the samples.

 

Copyright in Vietnam

Typically, you won’t have an issue if you abide by the following:

-Only use the music for personal use (as in you make absolutely no money)

-You are performing the music live (as in you are not copying and selling the music).

-If you do distribute to the public, then the average listener can’t tell what the samples are or if your use falls under the “fair use” category.

Meeting Fair Use Requirements:

-When making this determination, the courts will consider the following points:

-Did the original owner suffer financially due to your use of their samples?

-Did you totally transform the sound to create a brand new song?

-Did you take a large portion of the original song?

-Keep in mind, many of these questions are subjective and it’s not a clear cut situation by any means.

When it doubt: Ask permission. This is the absolute easiest way to avoid any kind of litigation. Reach out the the original owner and simply ask them if you can use a sample of their music to incorporate in your own. Usually you will need to obtain permission from the copyright owner of the song (publisher) and the copyright owner of the master tape (record company).

Source: Quora

ANT Lawyers – A Law firm in Vietnam has law offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.  The lawyers at each law offices in Vietnam have consistently made valuable and important contributions to our profession through the cases we handled on daily basis to facilitate business transaction or represented our clients to access justice

 

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What are Conditions for Cancellation of Contract?

When entering into a contract, the parties in a contractual relationship always aim for certain interests and purposes. However, in reality, the contract is not always implemented seriously and in good faith. According to Vietnam laws, parties are entitled to cancel the contract to protect rights and interests. Therefore, it is not rare for a party to request to cancel the contract in order not to be bound by the contract. However, it should be noted that the right of cancellation is only applied in some certain circumstances which stipulated by the law. This is to limit arbitrariness of cancelling the contract.

 

 Contract dispute law firm in Vietnam

The basic condition for cancelling the contract is the breach. However, it should be noted that not all breaches of contract will result in cancelling the ccontract. This is stipulated in both of general law and specialized law. According to Commercial law 2005 (“CL”), the sanction of cancelling the contract is applied in case of breaching act be a condition for the cancellation of the contract as agreed upon by the parties or in case of substantial breach of contractual obligations from a party. Specifically, contractual breach means the failure of a party to perform, to fully or properly perform its obligations according to the agreement between the parties or the provisions of CL. Substantial breach means a contractual breach by a party, which causes damage to the other party to an extent that the other party cannot achieve the purpose of the entry into the contract. Civil Code 2015 (“CC”) also stipulates correspondingly but it uses the term “serious breach”: “A party has the right to cancel the contract and shall not be liable to compensate for damage in the following cases: (i) A breaching act of one party is a condition for the cancellation of the contract as agreed upon by the parties; (ii) The other party seriously violates the obligations in the contract; (iii) Others circumstances as provided by law. Serious violation means the failure to fulfill obligations properly by a party which make the other party cannot achieve the purpose of the entry into the contract”. However, currently there is no specific guidance on identifying the substantial breach of contractual obligations and the serious breach of contractual obligations. Therefore, determining whether a party’s breach is considered as a substantial breach of contractual obligations or a serious breach of contractual obligations will be within the competence of the jurisdiction.

A lawfully concluded contract may be canceld when a party breaches its basic contractual obligations. After cancelling the contract, such contract shall be invalid from the time it is entered into, and the parties shall not have to continue performing their contractual obligations, except for their agreements on their post-cancellation rights and obligations and resolution of disputes. The parties shall have the right to claim benefits brought about their performance of their contractual obligations. If parties have indemnity obligations, their obligations must be performed concurrently. Where it is impossible to make the indemnity with benefits which one party has enjoyed, the obliged party must make the indemnity in cash. Breached parties are entitled to claim damages.

In conclusion, from the regulation of law, it can be seen that nature of contract is to benefit for the parties and not to be canceld. The cancellation is very serious so the contract can only be canceld in some certain conditions. The contract cannot be canceld as a sanction if there is no contract breach. Simultaneously, the party requesting cancellation also needs to know that such request is only accepted if there is enough foundation to affirm that the other party has substantial breach of contractual obligations or the serious breach of contractual obligations.  Parties encountering potential dispute should consult with dispute lawyers in Vietnam for proper resolution.

ANT Lawyers – A Law firm in Vietnam has law offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.  The lawyers at each law offices in Vietnam have consistently made valuable and important contributions to our profession through the cases we handled on daily basis to facilitate business transaction or represented our clients to access justice

 

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Benefits of Investors in Setting up a Business in Da Nang

Da Nang is one of the five major cities in Vietnam, having a geographical location that is particularly conducive to rapid and sustainable economic development. Da Nang has important transportation routes such as the China-ASEAN international railway crossings, seaports and international airports.

 

Da Nang is one of the tourist centers of the country, has rich tourism potential including natural tourism resources and humanities. Da Nang has many famous scenic spots such as Hai Van pass, Son Tra mountain, Ba Na hills, Ngu Hanh Son, Cham Museum or My Khe beach have been voted by Forbes magazine as one of the six most beautiful beaches in the world. These conditions are favorable for the development of diversified forms of tourism such as travel, research, cultural.

Da Nang have infrastructure development, four types of roads are popular: high way, rail way, International airport and International sea way. Da Nang have the sea lanes to most major ports in Vietnam and around the world. It helps investor more convenient to travel everywhere in Vietnam and other countries. Moreover, Da Nang’s water supply, electricity supply and communication system has developed rapidly and is increasingly modernized, ranking third in the whole country after Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Da Nang have Da Nang Port, which help investor in import/export activities easily.

The first advantage of the policy mechanism is that Da Nang has also had great support the mechanism and policies for socio-economic development of Da Nang. Since Da Nang was recognized as a national grade I city in 2003, Da Nang has implemented guidelines, regulatory directions and the issuance of specific regulatory mechanisms. With the support from the Central Government, Da Nang authorities have also developed appropriate policies and mechanisms to facilitate the development of the economy, such as the one-stop-shopping mechanism, so Da Nang which is considered as a locality with attracting investment policies in Vietnam. Examples: Procedures related to investment, investment locations, clearance and handover plan, the granting of business registration certificates and investment preference certificates shall be carried out under the one-stop-shopping mechanism at the provincial municipal all of them are resolved at Da Nang Administration Center. Investors shall be exempt from all expenses related to the settlement of investment procedures apart from the payment of business registration fees according to the provisions of law. When investing in Da Nang, investors not only enjoy many preferential policy from city government but also have chance to find clients from many countries or compete with other companies in Vietnam and foreign countries.

Tradition of unity, consensus of people and the dynamism and creativity of the leadership, these advantages has aroused, mobilized the strength, the most important and decisive resource for the development of Da Nang. The determination of leaders, city authorities in building programs, projects with the support of the people, investors, enterprises, ect that help investors who will invest in Da Nang have highest benefits.

ANT Lawyers – A Law firm in Vietnam has law offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.  The lawyers at each law offices in Vietnam have consistently made valuable and important contributions to our profession through the cases we handled on daily basis to facilitate business transaction or represented our clients to access justice.

 

 

 

 

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How does copyright work?

The law says that only the creator of a work, or his heirs, and no one else, has the right to make copies of it. Thus “copyright.”

The creator can lease out that right, give it away, whatever, but it’s his.

 

Copyright in Vietnam 

All the complications (and there are many) result from deciding who the creator is, what constitutes a copy, and how long copyright should last. Especially what constitutes a copy.

As for how it works in practice, copyright infringement — that is, making a copy without the creator’s permission — is a civil offense, not a criminal one. (What you do with the copies may well be criminal, though, since they’re stolen property.) That means that you won’t be arrested for copyright infringement, but you can be sued, and if you lose the suit you will be ordered to pay the creator everything you made off the infringement, plus any damages the creator can show to his own use of the property, plus (if the copyright was registered) punitive (punishment) damages.

Source: Quora 

ANT Lawyers – A Law firm in Vietnam has law offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.  The lawyers at each law offices in Vietnam have consistently made valuable and important contributions to our profession through the cases we handled on daily basis to facilitate business transaction or represented our clients to access justice.

 

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Vision to develop logistics services in Da Nang

Da Nang, with its favorable geographical location, lies on the arterial North-South traffic axis in terms of road, rail, sea and air, is an important traffic gateway of the Central – Central Highlands and is the end point on the East-West Economic Corridor running through Vietnam – Laos – Myanmar – Thailand, converging types of transport from air, seaport, railway, expressway, especially with deep water ports. Therefore, Da Nang has a great potential to develop into a maritime transport center, an important logistics hub to countries in the region.

 

In the economic development orientation and in the Politburo’s Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2019 on Da Nang construction and development to 2030, a vision to 2045 defines: Danang will focus on exploiting advantages to soon become a marine economic center, forming logistics service supply chains for the Central and Central Highlands.

To comply with the Resolution, currently, in parallel with the expansion of the port, Da Nang is also actively calling for investment in logistics centers. Of which, 20 hectares in Hoa Vang district, 2 hectares in the north of Da Nang airport, 9.1 hectares in the High-Tech Park. At the same time, promote the early operation of highways Da Nang – Quang Ngai, La Son – Tuy Loan… to awaken potentials, promote trade links, connect industrial zones, economic zones in the region, thereby becoming the driving force to promote the city’s logistics services industry.

In addition, Da Nang will build a new Lien Chieu port as a transport port, Tien Sa port will be a tourist port in order to promote the central role of the international seaport city and urban seaport. According to the Department of Planning and Investment of the city, the Lien Chieu port project is currently completing the environmental impact assessment report, submitting for appraisal and approval of the subdivision planning project 1/2,000. City leaders suggested early appraisal of capital sources and capital balancing capabilities, and proposed to allocate central budget capital to support projects. In the next phases, Lien Chieu port will attract investors in logistics items. This is an important premise for Da Nang to promote the role of a key maritime route in the Central region and a logistics center in the region.

With the above orientation, it is expected that in the coming time, the market of transport services and logistics in the city will develop more vibrantly, raising the quality of services not only in the city but in the region. It is hoped that more companies will invest, set up company and apply for investment certificate in Da Nang in the area of logistics and logistics support.

ANT Lawyers – A Law firm in Vietnam has law offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.  The lawyers at each law offices in Vietnam have consistently made valuable and important contributions to our profession through the cases we handled on daily basis to facilitate business transaction or represented our clients to access justice.

 

 

 

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Copyright and related Right

Copyright/ related Rights Registration

Copyright is stipulated in particularly in Civil Code, Law on Intellectual Property 2005, amended and supplemented in 2009 and  Decree No. 100/2006/ND-CP: Detailing And Guiding The Implementation Of A Number Of Articles Of The Civil Code And The Intellectual Property Law Regarding The Copyright And Related Rights

 

Copyright means rights of an organization or individual to works which such organization or individual created or owns. Copyright shall arise automatically at the moment a work is created and fixed in a certain material form; irrespective of its content, quality, form, mode and language and irrespective of whether or not such work has been published or registered

As stipulations of Law on Intellectual Property in 2005, amended and supplemented in 2009, Copyright in works shall comprise moral rights and economic rights. Moral rights (except publication rights) shall be protected all whole life of authors and from 50 to 75 years since the author or the final co-author dies.

Copyright-related rightsor related rights means rights of organizations and individuals to performances, phonograms, video recordings, broadcasts and encrypted program-carrying satellite signals. The rights of performers shall be protected for fifty (50) years, which starts from the year following the year in which the performance is turn into a fixed form. The rights of producers of audio and video recordings shall be protected for fifty (50) years which starts from the year following the year of publication, or fifty (50) years which starts from the year following the year in which any unpublished audio and video recording is turned into a fixed form. The rights of broadcasting organizations shall be protected for fifty (50) years which starts from the year following the year in which a broadcast is made.

Like the Trademark registration, Copyright registration shall be the important legal bases to resist actions of appropriating copyright, impersonating authors, counterfeiting, infringing on copyright which lead to damage on reputation of authors.

ANT Lawyers supplies service on copyright/ related right consultant as follows:

-Advise in grounds for the generation and establishment of Copyrights; basic limitation of Copyrights/ related rights;

-Consult and implement procedures relating to copyright/ related rights registration;

-Consult, represent Clients negotiating  and drafting using agreement, assignment agreement and other contracts relating to  copyright/ related rights registration;

-Complaint decision relating to issuing copyright/ related rights certificate;

-Consult, collaborate with competent authorities in solving copyright/ related rights infringement.

ANT Lawyers – A Law firm in Vietnam has law offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.  The lawyers at each law offices in Vietnam have consistently made valuable and important contributions to our profession through the cases we handled on daily basis to facilitate business transaction or represented our clients to access justice.

 

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Forms of Investment in Vietnam

Foreign investors when setting up business in Vietnam need to be advised by a law firm in Vietnam on forms of investment.

 

According to the Vietnam Law on Investment (2005), foreign investors in Vietnam through direct investment and indirect investment.

The direct investment is when the investor invests its invested capital and participates in the management of the investment activities, includes:

-To establish economic organizations in the form of one hundred per cent (100%) capital of domestic investors or one hundred per cent (100%) capital of foreign investors.

-To establish joint venture economic organizations between domestic and foreign investors.

-To invest in the contractual forms of: BCC, BO, BTO, and BT.

-To invest in business development.

-To purchase shares or to contribute capital in order to participate in management of investment activities.

-To invest in the carrying out of a merger and acquisition of an enterprise.

-To carry out other forms of direct investment.

Foreign investor will be considered for acceptance by the competent authorities and be granted Investment Certificate.

Indirect investment means a form of investment whereby the investor contribute the capital but do not participate directly in the management of the investment activity, includes:

-Purchase of shareholding, shares, bonds and other valuable papers;

-Through securities investment funds;

-Through other intermediary financial institutions.

Types of enterprise for foreign investors to invest in Vietnam

1. Limited Liability Company

Limited Liability Company is a form of enterprise which is established by contributing of members.  A member shall be liable for the debts and other property obligations of the enterprise within the amount of capital that it has undertaken to contribute to the enterprise.

Limited liability companies are regulated by two types:

-One member Limited Liability Company is an enterprise owned by one organization or individual;

-Limited Liability Company with two or more members is an enterprise owned by organizations or individuals, in which the number of members shall not less than two members and not exceed fifty.

Organizational and management structure of Limited Liability Company normally comprise of a Member’s Council, General Director or Director.

2.Joint Stock Company

Joint Stock Company is an enterprise which has charter capital divided into equal portions called shares.   The minimum number of shareholders shall be three and there shall be no restriction on the maximum number.

Shareholders shall be liable for the debts and other property obligations of the enterprise only within the amount of capital contributed to the enterprise.

Joint Stock Companies may issue all types of securities to raise funds.  Founding shareholders must together register to subscribe at least twenty per cent (20%) of the number of ordinary shares which may be offered for sale.

The main difference between Joint Stock Company and Limited Liability Company is the Joint Stock Company can raise funds by offering shares or securities.  In addition, an enterprise tends to join the Stock exchanges or public company must be a Joint Stock Company.  Management system of Joint Stock Company is more complicated than Liability Company.

3. Partnership

A partnership is an enterprise which must be at least two members being co-owners of the company jointly conducting business under one common name.  In addition to unlimited liability partners, there may be limited liability partners.

Unlimited liability partners must be individuals who shall be liable for the obligations of the company to the extent of all of their assets.  Limited liability partners shall only be liable for the debts of the company to the extent of the amount of capital they have contributed to the company.

4. Representative Office of foreign trader

A foreign business entity or a foreign trader is allowed to establish Representative Office in Vietnam.

Representative office of a foreign business entity in Vietnam (referred as “Representative Office”) means a subsidiary unit of the foreign business entity, established in accordance with the law of Vietnam in order to survey markets and to undertake a number of commercial enhancement activities permitted by the law of Vietnam.

Representative Office will need to apply and obtain the establishment license; and have a seal bearing the name of the representative office.

Representative Office is not allowed to directly conduct profit making activities in Vietnam (i.e: the execution of contracts, direct payment or receipt of funds, sale or purchase of goods, or provision of services), but the representative Office is permitted to:

-To operate strictly in accordance with the purposes, scope and duration stated in the license for establishment of such representative office;

-To rent offices and to lease or purchase the equipment and facilities necessary for the operation of the Representative Office;

-To recruit Vietnamese and foreign employees to work for the Representative Office in accordance with the law of Vietnam;

-To open accounts in foreign currency and in Vietnamese Dong sourced from foreign currency at banks which are licensed to operate in Vietnam, and to use such accounts solely for the operation of the Representative Office.

5. Branch of foreign trader

The Branch of a foreign business entity in Vietnam (referred as “The Branch”) means a subsidiary unit of the foreign business entity, established in accordance with the law of Vietnam in order to enter into contracts in Vietnam and conduct activities being the purchase and sale of goods and other commercial activities consistent with its license for establishment in accordance with the law of Vietnam and any international treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member.

The Branch will need to apply and obtain the establishment license; and have a seal bearing the name of the Branch.

The Branch is permitted to conduct activities being the purchase and sale of goods and other commercial activities consistent with its license for establishment in accordance with the law of Vietnam and any international treaty to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member.

6. The investing measures by signing Contracts

Business co-operation contract (BCC) means the investment form signed between investors in order to co-operate in business and to share profits or products without creating a legal entity.

Build-operate-transfer contract (BOT) means the investment form signed by a competent State body and an investor in order to construct and operate commercially an infrastructure facility for a fixed duration; and, upon expiry of the duration, the investor shall, without compensation, transfer such facility to the State of Vietnam.

Build-transfer-operate contract (BTO) means the investment form signed by a competent State body and an investor in order to construct an infrastructure facility; and, upon completion of construction, the investor shall transfer the facility to the State of Vietnam and the Government shall grant the investor the right to operate commercially such facility for a fixed duration in order to recover the invested capital and gain profits.

Build-transfer contract (BT) means the investment form signed by a competent State body and an investor in order to construct an infrastructure facility; and, upon completion of construction, the investor shall transfer the facility to the State of Vietnam and the Government shall create conditions for the investor to implement another project in order to recover the invested capital and gain profits or to make a payment to the investor in accordance with an agreement in the BT contract.

Foreign investors may sign BOT, BT and BTO contracts with a competent State body to implement infrastructure construction projects in Vietnam. Typically, the contracts are for projects in the fields of transportation, electricity production, water supply, drainage and waste treatment.

The rights and obligations of the foreign investor will be regulated by the signed BOT, BT and BTO contract. The Government encourages both public- and private-sector investors to participate in BOT, BTO and BT in the following sectors:

(i) Construction, operation and management of brand-new infrastructure facilities; and

(ii) Renovation, expansion, modernization, operation and management of the existing infrastructure facilities such as:

-Roads, bridges, tunnels, and ferry landings;

-Railway bridges and railway tunnels;

-Airports, seaports and river ports;

-Clean water supply systems; sewage systems;

-Wastewater, waste collecting and handling systems;

-Power plants and power transmission lines;

-Infrastructure works of health service, education, training, career training, culture, sport and offices of State agencies; and

-Other projects as may be determined by the Prime Minister

 

 

 

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