VIENTIANE, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of trademark registrations is lagging in Laos as many businesses lack understanding of their rights and fail to register to protect their intellectual property, according to the Intellectual Property (IP) Department under Ministry of Science and Technology on Monday.
Some 40,500 applications for trademark registration have been submitted to the department since 1991, with some 36,975 trademarks registered, Khanlasy Keobounphanh, director general of the department was quoted as saying by Lao state-run media Vientiane Times on Monday.
This number is relatively low as many enterprises lack an adequate understanding of the concept of intellectual property as well as the importance of the protections available to protect unique identifiers such as titles, logos and labeling of products, she said.
The department is working to increase public and business sector understanding of key aspects of IP including the importance of trademark protection provisions and encourage them to register for copyright and trademark protection to ensure all enterprises operate in line with IP rules. Such efforts aim to reduce violations of copyright and trademarks nationwide and help businesses to build their brands, according to the official.
The department has just completed creating IP development strategic plan until 2025 and vision to 2030 and is working to amend the Law on Intellectual Property. If the amended law is adopted, it should help implementation of intellectual property protection efforts, Khanlasy said.
