On 04 February 2018, within the framework of Minister Chu Ngoc Anh’s visit to Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Mr. Dinh Huu Phi, Director General of the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam (NOIP) and Ms. Khanlasy Keobounphanh, Director General of the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP), Laos Ministry of Science and Technology signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Geographical Indications (GIs) between NOIP and DIP. The Signing Ceremony was attended by Mr. Chu Ngoc Anh, Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology and Boviengkham Vongdala, Laos Minister of Science and Technology, along with several leaders and representatives of subordinate agencies.
Signing Ceremony of MoU on GIs between NOIP and DIP
The MoU between NOIP, Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology and DIP, Laos Ministry of Science and Technology constitutes a further development of bilateral cooperation on IP between Vietnam and Lao. Featured by many geographical products, regimes of GI protection are getting social attention and priorities in national IP policies of both Vietnam and Lao. Untill now, Vietnam has 63 products bearing protected GIs, which are mainly agricultural products such as rice, fruit, tea, coffee, fish sauce, etc. Meanwhile, Lao’s young regime of GI protection is extensively examining its first GI, Khao Kai Noy for sticky rice.
Participants of the Signing Ceremony
Under this MoU, Vietnam will assist Lao to improve the capacity of GI protection system; through exchange of information, sharing experiences on product development, improving GI protection regime, training, and mutual consultations on regional and international issues related to GIs of mutual interests. In addition, both parties will facilitate the protection of each country’s GIs, including speeding up registration process and taking measures to promote GI protection. The contents of MoU are expected to provide practical and meaningful values to both countries’ IP systems; supporting agricultural business; promoting close cooperation between two Ministries of Science and Technology, strengthening Vietnamese-Laos traditional friendship and special solidarity.
Mr. Dinh Huu Phi paid a working visit to DIP
In the morning of 05 February 2018, Mr. Dinh Huu Phi had a meeting with Ms. Khanlasy Keobounphanh. In the meeting, Ms. Khanlasy Keobounphanh expressed her gratitude to NOIP for the considerable support and assistance during the past several years, contributing to the development of Lao’s IP activities. Also, the MoU gave her great pleasure, and it is to be expected that Lao will continue to receive supports from Vietnam regarding this crucial matter. On his side, Mr. Dinh Huu Phi congratulated DIP in particular and Lao’s IP system in general for their developments. NOIP will always assist Laos friends in every possible way. Both parties then discussed and agreed on specific cooperation activities implemented in 2018, in which Vietnam is going to help Lao with GIs, IP dispute resolution and development of curriculum for IP./.
Division of International Cooperation
