The Amyothar Hluttaw (Upper House of Myanmar Parliament) has passed the Trademark Law, Industrial Design Law, Patent Law and Copyright Law on February 15, 2018.
They will now be submitted to Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House) and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Assembly of the Union), before the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw submit them to the the President Office for signature. The laws should be enacted in June 2018.
One of the most important features introduced by the new laws is that Myanmar will now apply the first-to-file rule instead of the first-to-use rule as in the past. Therefore, it is critical to apply for your IPRs as early as practical in order to secure protection in that country.
We opened our office in Myanmar in 2013. In the last 5 years we have built up a strong local team handling a great variety of cases ranging from trade mark cancellation actions to technology transfers and civil litigation.
Our team is composed of a blend of experienced litigators, Patent Specialists and Trade Mark Attorneys. Our team is led by Fabrice Mattei, Country Manager, Moe Mynn Thu, senior associate, Yushi Kubota, Japanese Desk Director. They remain at your disposal should you wish to discuss the impacts of the new laws and understand how you can develop your IP strategy in Myanmar.
If you have any questions please contact us at myanmar@rouse.com.
We will also be hosting a webinar on 15 March for you to hear more about the new laws and best ways to protect your IPRs. If you would like to be sent more details, please contact us ksaw@rouse.com.