Definition of Trade Secrets Trade secret means information which is secret in the sense that it is not known among or readily accessible to persons within the circles that normally deal with the kind of information in question, such as: formula, production process, or any information, which has commercial value because it is secret. BasicRead more
A trademark owner has the following rights: to prevent all third parties from using in the course of trade identical or similar signs for goods or services which are identical, similar, or related to those in respect of which the trademark is registered where such use would result in a likelihood of confusion; to preventRead more
Under the Law, violations of IP rights may be subject to civil enforcement proceedings, administrative enforcement and customs border measures including seizures of infringing property at point of importation into Lao PDR. Civil enforcement proceedings may be brought by any interested party through a claim in the Peoples’ Court of Lao PDR. Such actions mayRead more
Any act of competition contrary to honest practices in industrial or commercial matters constitutes an act of unfair competition. The following acts shall constitute acts of unfair competition and shall be prohibited: direct or indirect use of a false indication of the source of a good or the identity of the producer, manufacturer, or merchant;Read more
Laos became a member of the Madrid Protocol in December 2015, and the Protocol entered into force in March 2016. The Madrid Protocol is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). It provides a cost-effective and efficient means for trademark owners to obtain protection for their marks in multiple countries through filing one application,Read more
Where a patent, petty patent, industrial design registration, trademark registration, integrated circuit layout-design registration, or plant variety protection certificate is held invalid by the People’s Court, the Ministry of Science and Technology shall cancel such intellectual property accordingly. In the case of patents or petty patents, such holding shall specify the patent or petty patentRead more
Like other countries where formality and substantive examination are conducted in sequential manner. Formality examination The Ministry of Science and Technology will conduct a formality examination of each industrial property application to ensure that the application is complete, in correct form, and that fees have been paid. The Ministry of Science and Technology will notifyRead more
Applications for trademark registration are conducted through the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and may be made to apply to one or more classes of goods or services as described in the Nice Agreement for Classification of Goods and Services (although Lao PDR is not a signatory to the Nice Agreement trademark registration inRead more
A trade mark is a sign, such as a word, device, brand, shape, colour, sound, or a combination of these elements, which is capable of being graphically represented and used by a person in the course of trade to distinguish his or her goods or services from another person’s. So, a trademark may be anyRead more
The owner of a registered industrial design enjoys the exclusive right to prevent others from making, selling or importing articles incorporating the industrial design. Infringement occurs when a registered industrial design has been exploited by any person without the agreement or consent of the owner.[29] Upon the request of the owner, the competent court mayRead more
