Workshop explains essentials of trademarks
Workshop explains essentials of trademarks
The public sector, together with most business units and educational institutions in Laos, is becoming more familiar with the importance of trademarks, intellectual property rights, national brands and related laws.
This was the positive message conveyed at a two-day workshop on Trademarks and Geographical Indications, which opened in Vientiane yesterday. The issues discussed are outlined in the international agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, which is administered by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce's Foreign Trade Policy Department, Mr Phanh Vilaysom, addressed the participants, saying the workshop was designed to improve the understanding of the relevant officials, especially about the more important aspects of trademark issues.
“The session covers a wide range of informative subjects regarding trademark issues, geographical indications and intellectual property laws,” he said.
He explained that traditional knowledge and folklore can be better protected when Lao officials get to know more about these matters.
The key speakers at the workshop are the WTO's Counsellor of the Intellectual Property Division, Mr Wolf Meier-Ewert, and the World Intellectual Property Organisation's Trade Law Section, Law and Legislative Advice Division, Brands and Designs Sector Head, Ms Martha Friedli, along with other invited trainers.
Mr Meier-Ewert advised participants that Laos, being one of the newest members of the WTO, needs to know more about the protection of trademarks, intellectual rights and related laws.
Discussions will address the protection of trademarks in Laos and other countries in the region, and participants and trainers will share their ideas and experiences on related issues.
The progress of the Action Plan 2011-15 for the Asean Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation is a specific focus of the workshop as well as other issues regarding trademarks.
The workshop is jointly organised by the Foreign Trade Policy Department under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and the WTO, and is supported under Phase 2 of the Trade Development Fund.
vientiane times
