On 22 February 2007, the Prime Minister promulgated Instructions no. 04/2007/CT-TTg on strengthening the protection of copyright to computer programmes. According to the Instructions, there has recently been a common situation of using computer programmes without legal copyright recently, which infringes the rights and interest of home and foreign individuals, organisations, affecting the creation activities, socio-cultural-economic development of the country and the process integration to the world economy. In order to ensure the strict implementation of Vietnamese law regulations and international commitments on computer programmes protection, the Prime Minister has instructed as follows:

• Ministers, Heads of Ministerial agencies, Heads of Governmental agencies, Chairmans of the People’s Committee at all levels should provide guidelines and make specific measures to protect copyright to computer programmes; forecast annually budget for the purchase of copyright of computer programmes for subordinate units; drawing step-by-step plans to deal with computer programmes without legal copyright to each agency, unit, industry, locality.

• The Ministry of Culture and Informatics has the responsibilities to: (i) provide guidelines on and inspect the implementation of Vietnam law regulations and international commitments on computer programmes protection; technically assist on copyright transaction in relation with computer programmes; provide information on products infringing computer programmes copyright; (ii) supply concrete guidance in the production of specialist books, magazines on copyright, related rights and mentioned thereon computer programmes to give information, propagandize, educate with an aim to raise the public’s awareness and knowledge.

• The Ministry of Trade has the responsibility to supply concrete guidance in the work of inspection, deal with organisation, individual having the circulated products infringing copyright to computer programmes in accordance with Vietnam law regulations and international commitments.

• The Ministry of Security is responsible to supply concrete guidance in the work of fighting against infringement on computer programmes; preventing violation in production, trade, exportation & importation, storage and circulation of goods/services related to copyright to computer programmes.

• The Ministry of Finance should supply concrete guidance to the Custom Head Office to strictly deal with organisations, individuals exporting, importing computer programmes infringing upon copyright to such programmes according to the law regulations.