Le Hoang Diep Thao (left) and Dang Le Nguyen Vu

The Government Office has sent a document to the Ministries of Science and Technology, Justice, and Finance, and the Standing Office of the Steering Committee 389 on the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s (MOIT) report related to proposals by Dang Le Nguyen Vu, president of Trung Nguyen Group.

Dang Le Nguyen Vu and his estranged wife Le Hoang Diep Thao are called the Coffee King and Queen. They have been engaged in a prolonged divorce case as well as a battle over the assets of the company, including the two brands.

VietNamNet sources said Vu’s appeal, dated July 20, 2020, has relations with the two brands, Le Hoang Diep Thao and TNI Co Ltd.

However, there has been no official answer to Vu’s proposals related to ‘Trung Nguyen’ and ‘G7 Coffee’.

The General Department of Market Surveillance confirmed that the activities of producing coffee products with ‘G7’ and ‘Trung Nguyen’ brands at Trung Nguyen Instant Coffee JSC’s branch in Quang Chau IZ in Bac Giang are still being implemented. The seal of the branch is still held by Thao.

Vu and Thao both are shareholders of Trung Nguyen Investment JSC. The disputes between them, including the dispute related to the division of assets upon divorce, was settled by the appeal judgment No 39.2019 dated December 5, 2019,

However, the Supreme People's Procuracy issued a cassation decision against the appelate judgment.

Therefore, agencies say the ownership of certificates on registration of brands and brand protection with the words ‘Trung Nguyen’ and ‘G7’ is under the scope of dispute over ownership of Trung Nguyen Investment JSC assets and is still being considered by the court. No final decision has been made.

MOIT cited Decree 99 dated August 29, 2020 on sanctioning administrative violations in industrial property as saying that the agency handling violations has to refuse to deal with the cases if the request for handling violations is made when there are related disputes on industrial property.

The representatives of five ministries and branches discussed Vu’s proposals made by the General Department of Market Surveillance on December 8, 2020.

The General Department of Customs (GDC) has also replied to proposals from Vu.

The agency said since the appellate judgment has been appealed for cassation review, and the brands are under dispute, under Circular 13/2020 and Decree 99/2013, the consignments of Trung Nguyen Instant Coffee JSC Bac Giang branch will still get customs clearance if businesses can show invoices and documents that prove that they buy goods from the branch. 

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