On August 12, Jay Cohen, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ office in Phnom Penh, spoke on recent legal developments in Cambodia in a webinar hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce. Titled “Cambodia’s Investment Law 2021,” the webinar focused on the country’s new draft Investment Law, which was unveiled in July 2021. The law encourages greater investment in Cambodia by aiming to increase the competitiveness and productivity of local industry, offering investment incentives, protecting investors’ rights and interests, and improving Cambodia’s ability to plug into regional and global supply chains. During the session, Jay and the other panelists discussed: The development of investment legislation in Cambodia; The anticipated impact of the Cambodian’s draft Investment Law; and Implications of the draft law for investors and the larger business community in Cambodia. The video is available below.

Jay Cohen, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Phnom Penh office, recently sat down with realestate.com.kh—a leading property portal in Cambodia—to provide an overview of the legal and business implications of guaranteed rental return (GRR) schemes for property investors in Cambodia. During the concise yet informative session titled “Introduction to Guaranteed Rental Returns in Cambodia,” Jay discusses: The definition of a GRR scheme under Cambodian law, including an overview of certain benefits for investors; Key considerations investors should understand before entering into a GRR agreement; The possibility of changing GRR contract terms during force majeure events; and What happens when the GRR period ends. The video is available to watch online, free of charge, below.  

On May 27, Tilleke & Gibbins hosted a webinar titled “Madrid Protocol – Issues and Challenges in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam,” to provide global brand owners an overview of the key requirements and challenges of using the Madrid Protocol system for trademark applications in Southeast Asia. During the session, members of the firm’s regional intellectual property practice—Linh Thi Mai Nguyen, Michelle Ray-Jones, Rina Sinaga, Sokmean Chea, and Somboon Earterasarun—discussed local complexities that affect applications through the international trademark system, including: substantive examination procedures in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam; common Madrid Protocol application issues in each respective jurisdiction; and core differences between national and international trademark protection around Southeast Asia. As global brand owners confront a high rate of trademark application refusals in Southeast Asia, the speakers also offered practical techniques that Madrid applicants can implement to minimize this risk in their international applications. The webinar is now available to watch online, free of charge, below.  

On June 25, Dino Santaniello, head of Tilleke & Gibbins in Laos, presented on Lao drug import regulations in a webinar titled “Import of Pharmaceutical Products in the New Normal.” The webinar, which was hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce in Laos (ECCIL), highlighted key information on the country’s healthcare sector, addressed how companies can import pharmaceutical products and medical equipment into Laos, provided practical insights into the relevant regulations in place, and walked attendees through the process of registration. Two pharmaceutical specialists in Laos joined Dino to discuss these issues and share practical tips for prospective importers of pharmaceutical products. The speakers also addressed the importation of COVID-19 vaccines into Laos, which became a popular topic following the government’s recent authorization of imports of vaccines by private legal entities for non-commercial use and to inoculate their employees. The webinar attracted many professionals in the health and pharmaceutical products industry, as well as entrepreneurs, investors, managers, and business owners in Laos. A video of the webinar is below.