(VOVworld) – The 2014 international exhibition on geographical indication opened in Hanoi on Tuesday with 70 stalls featuring specialties protected by geographical indicators from Vietnam and other ASEAN members.

Geographical indicators provide a quality and origin guarantee for consumers and a tool to add value to local products, protect know-how, and promote rural development and tourism. Tran Van Tung, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, comments:

“Vietnam has 38 products recognized as GI items, ranking second in ASEAN. But there are a number of difficulties in promoting the work in Vietnam. The exhibition aims to increase public awareness about geographical indicators-a kind of intellectual property- and improve the image and commercial value of products branded with geographical indications of Vietnam and other ASEAN members.”

The exhibition was co-organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology and the EC-ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Co-operation Program.