- Asian
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trademark law
The Trademark Law of Laos was enacted in 1994 and came into effect in January 1995. The current trademark regulations in Laos are mainly based on the Intellectual Property Law, which came into effect on January 16, 2012.
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official language
Lao/English
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Duration
After registering a trademark in Laos, there is a 10-year protection period, which starts from the date of application; Renewal can be processed within 6 months before the expiration date, with a grace period of 6 months; The renewal period is also 10 years.
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Application principles
prior application
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Trademark type
The Lao Trademark Regulations protect product trademarks, service trademarks, collective trademarks, and color trademarks.
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Unregisterable elements
1. Unable to clearly distinguish trademarks of different product and service providers;
2. Trademarks that violate Lao cultural ethics and social order;
3. Trademarks that are prone to confusion and misidentification, especially those containing geographical names, as well as trademarks that describe the nature and characteristics of products or services;
4. Trademarks that are identical or similar to, or contain the following elements:
(1) Signs of immorality;
(2) Signs of national culture or scenic spots;
(3) Names or abbreviations of countries, governments, and international organizations;
(4) The official emblem of a government or international organization with control and certification functions, unless authorized and delegated accordingly;
(5) Trademarks that are identical or similar to well-known trademarks and their trade names. -
Applicant Qualifications
All natural and legal persons residing in Laos or outside Laos who have legal trade in goods, commerce, or services are eligible to apply for trademark registration. Trademark applicants cannot directly submit trademark applications to the Trademark Office, but must handle them through an officially authorized agent.
Laos is a signatory to international intellectual property treaties such as the Paris Convention and the WIPO Convention, and a member of the Madrid Protocol. Therefore, trademark registration can be processed through "single country registration" or "Madrid International Registration".
1. Trademark search: Before submitting a trademark registration application, you need to conduct a trademark search to ensure that your trademark has not been registered by others and to avoid trademark infringement issues.
2. Trademark classification: Laos adopts the international trademark classification (Nice classification) for trademark classification, which is based on different goods or services.
3. Trademark design: Trademark design must comply with the provisions of the Lao Trademark Law and cannot infringe on the trademark rights of others.
1. Submission of materials: Prepare the trademark registration application form and attachments (trademark authorization letter, trademark sample, trademark classification table, etc.), and submit them to the Lao Trademark Office.
2. Payment of fees: Pay the trademark registration fee, which is determined by the number of trademark classifications and the length of the registration period.
1. Initial review: The Lao Trademark Office will review the trademark registration application, and the initial review period is about 3 months.
2. Announcement period: Trademarks that have passed the initial review will be announced on the official website of the Lao Trademark Office, soliciting public objections to the trademark registration application. The announcement period is 3 months.
3. Review: If the application is objected to, the Lao Trademark Office will conduct a review, with a review period of about 6 months.
If the trademark registration application passes the examination, you will receive a trademark registration certificate. The validity period of trademark registration is 10 years, and after the expiration of the validity period, an application for renewal can be made.
1) Applicant's name, address, and corresponding English information
2) Trademark design;
3) Specific categories and product/service offerings;
4) If priority is declared, proof of priority must be provided;
5) Power of attorney, to be notarized (the original document must be submitted within one month of the trademark application submission at the latest)
