KENFOX IP & Law Office > News (Page 7)

Responding to trademark refusal in Laos – Some takeaways

Under Laos IP Law, a mark cannot be merely descriptive. The idea behind preventing people from obtaining trademark protection for descriptive marks is that that individuals or commercial entities should not be allowed to claim exclusive trademark rights in descriptive words that competitors may need to use when describing their own goods/services. As a result, trademarks that comprise commonly descriptive (or generic) words are usually prohibited from being registered by the Laos IP Office. In practice, there are not uncommon instances where trademark applications face refusal/rejection based on an alleged descriptiveness of goods/services. However, those marks are not, in fact,...

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Notification on re-filing trademark applications to keep trademark rights effective in Myanmar

On 28 August 2020, the Ministry of Commerce and Trade issued Notification No. 63/2020 on 28 August 2020 which states that the Soft Opening Period will start launching on 01 October 2020 for the marks owner under the section 93(a) of the new Trade Mark law. During the Soft Opening Period (i.e. from 01 October 2020 to 01 April 2020), the Myanmar Registrar will only receive applications for re-registration of the trademarks which have been previously registered with Myanmar Registrar, but not receive applications for registering new trademarks in Myanmar. ...

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Notice on implementation of Circular No. 45/2020/TT-BTC of the Minister of Finance

The IP Vietnam has issued Notice No. 7638/TB-SHTT dated June 5, 2020 on the implementation of Circular No. 45/2020/TT-BTC dated May 26, 2020 of the Minister of Finance Implementing Directive No. 11/CT-TTg dated March 4, 2020 of the Prime Minister on urgent tasks and solutions to overcome difficulties for production and business, ensure social security in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, on 26 May 2020, the Minister of Finance issued Circular No. 45/2020/TT-BTC stipulating the rates of collection and payment of registration fee (to confirm) for using foreign barcode and industrial property fees (hereinafter referred to as "Circular No. 45/2020/TT-BTC"). The...

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Notice on receipt of request for accelerating examination of patent applications under the PPH program between the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam and Japan Patent Office in 2020

On 22 May 2020, the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IP Vietnam) issued Notice No. 7108/TB-SHTT regarding its receipt of request for accelerating examination of patent applications under the PPH program (PPH request) between the IP Vietnam and Japan Patent Office (JPO) in 2020. According to this Notice, as at the end of 4 May 2020, the IP Vietnam had sufficiently received 100 PPH requests for the period from 1 April 2020 thru 30 September 2020....

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Vietnam’s Intellectual Property Strategy with a Vision to 2030 – What should be noted?

Intellectual property (“IP”) is a key concern for every business, regardless of where it operates. In an attempt to strengthen the protection of IP Rights, maximizing the benefits of innovation and innovation activities, in August 2019, the Vietnamese government has released Decision No. 1068/QD-TTg on National IP Strategy on Intellectual Property Strategy with a Vision to 2030 with the following main policies:...

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Support/assistance by IP Vietnam for Domestic PCT Applicants, an useful tool to raise PCT applications of Vietnam origin

In the framework of the Intellectual Property Development Program for the period of 2016-2020, the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (“IP Vietnam”) in its Official Letter No. 5360/SHTT-NDHT dated 15 April 2020, announces the assistance for Vietnamese individuals in filing international (PCT) patent applications...

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Border control measures against IPR infringement in Vietnam, what’s new under Circular No.13/2020/TT-BTC (2020)?

Customs have a very significant role to play in enforcing intellectual property rights at the border. Once the goods are sold abroad, they must go through the customs to leave one country for another. Thus, border controal measures serve as a useful tool in tackling the trade of counterfeit or infringing products in the world, including Vietnam....

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