The validation agreement between the EPO and Laos enters into force on 1st April 2025
The validation agreement between the European Patent Organization and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) enters into force on 1st April 2025
The validation agreement between the European Patent Organization and Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) will enter into force of 1st April 2025. As a result of this validation agreement, Applicants will be able as of 1st April 2025 to validate their European patent applications and patents granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) in Laos, provided that they are filed on or after 1st April 2025. For Euro-PCT applications, the international filing date of PCT applications must be also on or after this date.
In order to validate European patent applications and patents, a validation fee must be paid at the same time as the designation fees. Further validation formalities will be published soon.
The European patent applications and patents validated in Laos according to the validation agreement will have the same effect and be subject to the same conditions as Laos national patents.
This validation agreement provides opportunity to the European patent applicants to select Laos for obtaining patent protection through the European patent grant procedure, which reduces costs, time and administrative work. This increases attractivity of the European patent system which, with Laos, provides for obtaining a patent protection on the basis of a single European patent application in 46 countries.
Need help with intellectual property protection? Contact us & we’d love to answer your questions.
Prepared by Andrea Manola
Also read: More news