RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.1 
9 May 2008 
 (08-2203) 
Working Party on the 
Accession of the Lao PDR Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF THE LAO PDR 
 
Action Plan on the Legislative Work and Implementation of the Agreement on  
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)  
 
Revision  
   The following submission, dated 21 April 2008, is being circulated at the request of the 
Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). 
 
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  WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.1 
Page 2  
Agreement on Trade Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Laws/Actions Implementation 
Timeframe Remarks 
General Provisions: 
Participation in Intellectual Property Conventions Participation in: 
 
- World Intellectual Property Organization 
- Paris Convention 
- Patent Cooperation Treaty - Berne Convention 
- Rome Convention  
- Washington Treaty on Intellectual Property in 
Respect of Integrated Circuits  
 
Since 1995 
Since 1998 
Since 2006 
January 2009 
January 2010 
January 2012  
Part II, Section 1: 
Copyrights and related rights  Intellectual Property Law 
 Decree on Copyright and Related Rights Protection 
 
  
Training of personnel involved in copyrights protection 
such as customs officials, pol ice, judges, prosecutors and 
lawyers  
 
Establishment of copyright and related rights information centre 
 
Instrument for Ratification of Berne and Rome Conventions 2008 
 
2010 
 
  
ongoing activities 
  
 
2010 
 
 
January 2009 for Berne 
and 
January 2010 for Rome Based on WIPO model law 
 Technical assistance has been provided 
by WIPO and EU (ECAP II Project 
2005-2007)  
Technical assistance is needed. 
  
 
Technical assistance is needed.  
 
Technical assistance is needed 
Part II, Section 2: Trademarks Decree on Trademarks 
 
Regulation on Trademarks Registration  
 Intellectual Property Law 
 
Amendments to Decree on Trademarks and Regulation on Registration of Trademarks  
 
Training of personnel involved in trademarks protection such as customs officials, pol ice, judges, prosecutors and 
lawyers  January 1995 
 
March  2002 
 
2008 
 
2011 
 
 
ongoing activities In force (based on WIPO model law ) 
 
In force 
  
 
Technical assistance is needed for the preparation of draft legislation 
 
Technical assistance is needed  
   WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.1
 Page 3Agreement on Trade Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Laws/Actions Implementation 
Timeframe Remarks 
Part II, Section 3: 
Geographical indications Intellectual Property Law 
 Decree on Geographical Indications  
 
 Training of personnel involved in protection of 
geographical  indications such as customs officials, police, 
judges, prosecutors and lawyers   
Establishment of geographical indications information 
centre 2008 
 
2011 
 
 
ongoing activities 
 
  
2011  
 Technical assistance on drafting has been 
provided by France 
 Technical assistance is needed 
 
  
Technical assistance is needed 
Part II, Section 4: 
Industrial designs Decree on Patents, Petty Patents (Utility Models) and 
Industrial Designs  
 
Regulation on the Implementation of Decree on Patents, Petty Patents and Industrial Designs 
 
Intellectual Property Law 
 
Training of  relevant offi cials for industrial designs 
registration and administration  
 
Amendment to Decree on Patents, Petty Patents and Industrial Designs as well as  the Regulation on the 
Implementation of Decree  
 Training of officials involved in enforcement such as 
customs officials, police, judges, prosecutors and lawyers  January 2002 
 
 
February 2003 
 
 
2008 
 
ongoing activities 
 
 
2011 
  
 
 
ongoing activities In force (based on WIPO model law) 
 
 
In force  
 
 
 
Technical assistance is needed  
 
Technical assistance is needed  
 
 Technical assistance is needed 
  
  WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.1 
Page 4 Agreement on Trade Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Laws/Actions Implementation 
Timeframe Remarks 
Part II, Section 5: 
Patents Decree on Patents, Petty Patents (Utility Models) and 
Industrial Designs   
Regulation on the Implementation of Decree on Patents, 
Petty Patents and Industrial Designs    
Intellectual Property Law 
 Establishment of patents information centre  
 
Amendment to Decree on the protection of Patents, Petty Patents and Industrial Designs as well as the Regulation on 
the Implementation of Decree    
 Training of  relevant officials for grant and administration 
of patent 
 Training of officials involved in enforcement such as 
customs officials, police, judges, prosecutors and lawyers  January 2002 
  
February 2003 
  
2008 
 
2010 
 
2011 
 
 
 
ongoing activities 
 
 
ongoing activities In force (based on WIPO model law ) 
  
In force 
  
 
 Technical assistance is needed 
 
Technical assistance is needed  
 
 Technical assistance is needed 
 
 Technical assistance is needed 
Part II, Section 6: Layout-designs (Topographies) of 
integrated circuit Intellectual Property Law 
 
Decree on Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits 
Protection  
Training of  relevant officials for layout-designs of 
integrated circuits protection and administration   
Training of officials involved in enforcement such as 
customs officials, police, judges, prosecutors and lawyers  2008 
 
2011 
  
ongoing activities 
  
ongoing activities  
 
Technical assistance has been provided 
by WIPO (model law)  
Technical assistance is needed 
  
Technical assistance is needed 
Part II, Section 7: 
Undisclosed information Decree on Trade Competition  
 
Decree on Protection of Undisclosed Information 
 Training of officials involved in protection of undisclosed 
information 
 Implementing regulation of competition Decree to provide 
protection for unfair competition and in particular 
undisclosed information and geographical indications as 
subjects protected by regulation on unfair competition April 2004 
 
2011 
 
ongoing activities 
 
 
2011 In force 
 
Technical assistance is needed 
 Technical assistance is needed 
 
 Technical assistance is needed.  
   WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.1
 Page 5Agreement on Trade Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Laws/Actions Implementation 
Timeframe Remarks 
Part II, Section 8: 
Control of anti-competitive practices in contractual licence Decree on  Trade Competition  
 Intellectual Property Law 
 
Decrees implementing the Intellectual Property Law April 2004 
 
2008 
 
2011 In force 
 Technical assistance is needed 
 
Technical assistance is needed 
Part III, Section 2: Civil and administrative procedures 
and remedies Law on Civil Procedure 
 
Decree on Trademarks 
 Penal Code Law 
 
Regulation on Trademarks Registration   
Decree on Patents, Petty Pate nts and Industrial Designs  
 Regulation on the Implementation of Decree on Patents, 
Petty Patents and Industrial Designs  
 
Constitution of Lao PDR (Amended) 
 Law on the People's Courts 
 
Judicial Enforcement Law  
Intellectual Property Law 
 Decrees implementing the Intellectual Property Law December 1990 
 
January 1995 
 
April 2001 
 
March 2002 
 
January 2002 
 
February 2003 
 
 
May  2003 
 
November 2003 
 
May 2004 
 
2008 
 
2011 In force 
 
In force 
 In force 
 
In force  
In force 
 In force 
 
 
In force 
 In force 
 
In force  
Part III, Section 4: 
Special requirements related to border 
measures  Customs Law 
 
Decree implementing Customs Law  
Intellectual Property Law 
 Decrees implementing the Intellectual Property Law 
 
Decree implementing Customs Law provisions on intellectual property 
 
Training of officials involved in enforcement such as 
customs officials December 2005 
 
2007 
 
2008 
 
2011 
 
2011 
 
 
ongoing activities In force 
 
  
Technical assistance is needed 
 Technical Assistance is needed. 
 
 Technical Assistance is needed. 
  
  WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.1 
Page 6 Agreement on Trade Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Laws/Actions Implementation 
Timeframe Remarks 
Part III, Section 5: 
Criminal procedures Penal Code Law  
 Intellectual Property Law 
 
Decrees implementing the Intellectual Property Law April  2001 
 
2008 
 
2011 In force 
  
 
Technical Assistance is needed 
Others Increased computerization of STEA 
 
 
Increased computerization of enforcement agencies 
 
 
Practical training in copy right piracy and trademark 
counterfeiting 
 
Developing rules, regulations and manuals  
Enhancing public awareness on the protection of 
intellectual property rights 2010 
 
 
2010 
 
 
ongoing activities 
 
 
2010 
 
ongoing activities Technical assistance is needed and 
equipment 
 
Technical assistance is needed and equipment 
 
Technical assistance is needed  
 
Technical assistance is needed  
Technical assistance is needed 
Note:   The above transition strategy for the implementation of Agreement on Trade-Related Aspect  of Intellectual Property Righ ts (TRIPS) would be achieved latest by 
January 2013 based on technical assistance and national capacity.   The Lao Government avails itself to special and differentia l treatment for Least-Developed-Countries under 
the TRIPS Agreement and various Ministerial Conference Declarations such as paragraph 47 of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declarati on and refers in IP/C/40. 
 
  
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