EPO President leads mission to Laos

From left to right: Mr Solasin Sengsilavong,  Ms Thipphachanh Thipphavone , Ms Kertmamy Keobounphanh, Ms Madeleine Schieck, VP4 Ms Nellie Simon, EPO President António Campinos, Deputy Minister for Industry and Commerce Ms Chansouk Sengphachanh,  former DG Mr Santisouk Phounesavath, newly appointed DG Mr Xaysomphet Norasingh, DDG Mr Makha Chanthala, DDG Mr Saybandith Sayavongkhamdy, Ms Soulinga Sisomnuck.

A European Patent Office (EPO) delegation led by President António Campinos recently visited the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) to agree on a roadmap towards the signature of a validation agreement.

On 20 November, the President delivered a speech at the IP Week event in Vientiane. With small and medium-sized enterprises making up 99.8% of all businesses in Laos, boosting the awareness and knowledge of intellectual property (IP) is considered key to developing a successful knowledge-based economy. Addressing policymakers, industry and a public audience, President Campinos took the opportunity to promote the importance of IP in business, economic and social development and articulate how the EPO is working with Laos and partners across Southeast Asia to maximise the positive impact of IP.

President Campinos also met with Mrs Chansouk Sengphachanh, Deputy Minister for Industry and Commerce and Mr Santisouk Phounesavath, former Director General of the Laos Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) as well as his successor Mr Xaysomphet Norasingh. These discussions provided a platform to strengthen the cooperation between the EPO and the Laos DIP and look ahead to a new validation agreement.

Enabling trade and innovation

The EPO delegation outlined that a partnership underpinned by a validation agreement would help Laos improve its ease of doing business and transition into an innovative, knowledge-driven economy. In addition, the EPO highlighted that legal certainty and enhanced visibility provided through the validation process will contribute to attracting new technologies, moving up the value chain and incentivising investment in innovative sectors. At the same time, Laos will maintain complete authority over validated patents, which are subject to the provisions of national law.

Next steps

Capitalising on a series of productive dialogues on a future validation relationship, the EPO and Laos move towards the final stages of concluding an agreement in 2024, which will unlock benefits for users, improve the innovation ecosystem and encourage greater technology transfer into the Lao economy.