On December 24, 2019, the Ministry of Commerce issued a notification on the filing and recording of letters of exclusive importation and distribution of trademarked goods. This notification supplements the 2016 Prakas on the Procedure to Record and File Letters of Exclusive Importation of Trademarked Goods, which required importers with the exclusive right to import goods bearing specific trademarks to record that exclusivity in order to enforce their rights against third parties.

The Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (Geneva Act of July 2, 1999 – “1999 Act”) officially took effect in Vietnam on December 30, 2019. Hague System users can now designate Vietnam in an international design application.

Ever-increasing internet penetration and the proliferation of constant connectivity have sparked new intellectual property protection concerns in recent years. With the e-commerce market in Southeast Asia projected to reach USD 102 billion by 2025, online infringement threatens to dampen this economic surge, and rights holder must rise to meet these new challenges in addition to their conventional methods of combatting infringement.

Under Cambodia’s new Patent Recognition Program (PRP), the Ministry of Industry and Handicraft (MIH) will recognize the examination results of a corresponding patent granted by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), and grant the patent accordingly. This program was established by the Prakas on Accelerated Patent Decisions under the Patent Recognition Program related to Patent Applications with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, which became effective on November 1, 2019.In order to participate in the PRP, the following requirements must be met: