WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  RESTRICTED 
WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.5 
23 January 2012 
 (12-0423) 
Working Party on the 
Accession of the Lao PDR Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF THE LAO PDR 
 
Action Plan on the Legislative Work an d Implementation of the Agreement on  
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) 
 
Revision 
 
 The following submission, dated 13 January 2012, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). 
 
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  WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.5 
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 
Accession instrument deposited on 
14 December 2011, which will be 
effective from 14 March 2012. 
 
Deferred 
Deferred  
 
 
 
 
TA provided by USAID for raising 
awareness on the Be rne Convention.  
 
 
(Deferred due to technical capacity 
limitations.  Priority has been given to 
ensuring legal framework compliance 
with TRIPS). 
Part II, Section 1: 
Copyrights and related rights Intellectual Property Law  
(all elements which were initially intended to be put in 
decrees and regulations have been incorporated into 
the 2011 amended IP Law)   
 
Regulation on Notification of Copyright and Related 
Rights Amended in December 2011 
 
 
 
 
To be amended by June 2012 TA received from AC WL and USAID.  
 
 
 
 
TA sought from development partners. 
Part II, Section 2: 
Trademarks Intellectual Property Law  
 
Regulation on trademarks  
 
Trademarks Registry System Amended in December 2011 
 
To be issued by June 2012 
 
Set up in 1991 In force. 
 
TA sought from development partners. 
 
TA received from EU and USAID. 
Part II, Section 3: 
Geographical indications Intellectual Property Law 
 
Regulation on geographical indications 
 
Setting up of the Geographical Indications Registry. Amended in December 2011 
 
To be issued by December 2012 
 
To be set up by December 2012 In force. 
 
TA sought from development partners. 
 
TA sought from EU and USAID. 
Part II, Section 4: 
Industrial designs Intellectual Property Law 
 
Regulation on industrial designs 
 
Setting up of the Industrial Designs Registry Amended in December 2011 
 
To be issued by June 2012 
 
Set up in 2002 In force. 
 
TA sought from development partners. 
 
TA received from EU, USAID and 
WIPO.  
   WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.5
 Page 3Agreement on Trade Related 
Aspects of Intellectual Property 
Rights Laws/Actions Implementation Timeframe Remarks 
Part II, Section 5: 
Patents Intellectual Property Law 
 
Regulation on patents and petty patents 
 
Setting up of the Patent Registry Amended in December 2011 
 
To be issued by June 2012 
 
Set up in 2002 TA sought from development partners. 
 
TA sought from development partners. 
 
TA received from EU, USAID and 
WIPO. 
Part II, Section 6: 
Layout-designs (Topographies) 
of integrated circuit Intellectual Property Law 
 
Regulation on integrated circuit Amended in December 2011 
 
To be issued by December 2012 In force. 
 
TA sought from development partners. 
Part II, Section 7: Undisclosed information Intellectual Property Law 
 
Decree on Trade Competition Amended in December 2011 
 
April 2004 In force. 
 
In force. 
Part II, Section 8: 
Control of anti-competitive 
practices in contractual licence Intellectual Property Law  
 
Decree on Trade Competition Amended in December 2011 
 
April 2004 In force 
 
In force. 
Part III, Section 2: 
Civil and administrative 
procedures and remedies Law on Civil Procedures 
 
Criminal Law 
 
Petition Handling Law 
 
Court Fee Law  
 
Law on People's Courts 
 
Judgment Enforcement Law 
 
Contract and Tort Law 
 
Economic Dispute Resolution Law  
 
Intellectual Property Law  
 Establishment of Copyright and Related Rights 
Information Section under Copyright Division. 
 
Establishment of Geographical Indications Information 
Section under Industrial Property Division. Amended in May 2004 
 
Amended in November 2005 
 
Amended in November 2005 
 
Amended in December 2006 
 
Amended in November 2009  
 
Amended in July 2008  
 
Amended in December 2008 
 
Amended in December 2010 
 
Amended in December 2011 
 
Established in 2009 
 
 
Established in 2011 In force. 
 
In force. 
 
In force. 
 
In force. 
 
In force. 
 
In force. 
 
In force. 
 
In force. 
 
In force. 
 
TA received from  EU and USAID 
Projects. 
 
TA received from  EU and USAID 
Projects.  
  WT/ACC/LAO/15/Rev.5 
Page 4 Agreement on Trade Related 
Aspects of Intellectual Property 
Rights Laws/Actions Implementation Timeframe Remarks 
Part III, Section 4: 
Special requirements related to 
border measures Intellectual Property Law 
 
Customs Law 
 
Instruction on Customs Measures for the Protection of 
Intellectual Property Rights Amended in December 2011 
 
Amended in December 2011 
 
Issued in September 2011 TA received from USAID.  
 
TA received from USAID.  
 
TA received from ACWL and USAID. 
Part III, Section 5: 
Criminal procedures Criminal Procedure Law  
 
Intellectual Property Law Amended in May 2004 
 
Amended in December 2011 In force.
 
In force. 
Others Enhance public awareness on the protection of 
intellectual property rights. 
 
Upgrade computeri zation of MOST. 
 
 
Upgrade computerization of  enforcement agencies. 
 
 
Trainings for users (development of information 
brochure and training program). 
 
Trainings of personnel involved in copyrights and 
industrial property protection such as customs officials, 
policemen, judges, prosecuto rs and lawyers on the 
prevention and control of copyright piracy and trademark 
counterfeiting. 2012 to 2015 
 
 
2012 to 2015 
 
 
2012 to 2015 
 
 
2012 to 2015 
 
 
2012 to 2015 TA sought and received from  ACWL, 
EU, KIPO, SIDA, USAID and WIPO.  
 
TA sought and received from  ACWL, 
EU, KIPO, SIDA, USAID and WIPO.  
 
TA sought and received from  ACWL, 
EU, KIPO, SIDA, USAID and WIPO.  
 
TA sought and received from  ACWL, 
EU, KIPO, SIDA, USAID and WIPO.  
 
TA sought and received from  ACWL, 
EU, KIPO, SIDA, USAID and WIPO.  
Note:  The above transition strategy for the implementation of Agreement on Trade-Related Aspect  of Intellectual Property Right s (TRIPS) would be achieved latest by 
December 2015 based on tec hnical assistance and national capacity.  The Lao PDR Government avails itsel f to special and differe ntial treatment for Least-Developed-Countries 
under the TRIPS Agreement and various Minister ial Conference Declarations such as paragr aph 47 of the Hong Kong Ministerial Dec laration and refers in IP/C/40. 
 
 
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