Myanmar's new trade mark legislation

Published

Jul 12 2018

Written By

Managing Counsel
Singapore

As a managing counsel in our Intellectual Property group in Singapore, I draw on my experience as a trade mark lawyer to help brand owners manage, protect and monetise their brands.

Lorraine Tay

Partner
Singapore

I am head of our Intellectual Property Group in Singapore. With more than 20 years' experience, I have honed a deep familiarity with international and cross-border issues involving IP commercialisation and brand management.

Myanmar's new trade mark legislation has been long-in-the waiting and much anticipated by both local and foreign brand owners alike. However, the official implementation of the law has experienced lengthy delays. The latest updates herald its coming into force by 2018, but the exact details are still being finalised. Any further delays are, as such, unsurprising.

Once in place, the new legislation is expected to completely overhaul the trade mark regime in the country. The current practice, whereby brand owners claim protection over their trade marks by the informal system of lodging a Declaration of Ownership with the Registry of Deeds and publishing cautionary notices in newspapers at regular intervals, will be abolished.

Instead, the new laws adopt a substantive trade mark system that is broadly aligned to those implemented in many major jurisdictions in the world." Read more