European Patent Validation in Laos Will Effect from 1 April 2025

Release Time：2025-03-21 08:51Author：Views：122

Starting April 1, 2025, European patent applications and patents can be validated in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos). This follows the signing of a validation agreement between the European Patent Office (EPO) and Laos on May 13, 2024, and the subsequent publication of the Instruction for Validation of European Patents in Lao PDR on February 21, 2025. These legal changes amend Laos' Patent Law, establishing the framework for the validation system.

Effective Date and Scope

The agreement takes effect on April 1, 2025. From this date, applicants may validate European patent applications and granted patents in Laos, granting equivalent rights to EPO-issued patents.

Validation Process and Requirements

Applicant Request: Validation in Laos is initiated at the applicant's request.

Eligibility:

- Validation applies to European or international applications filed on or after April 1, 2025.

- Applications filed before this date, or patents resulting from them, are not eligible.

Validation Fee:

- A fee of EUR 180 must be paid within six months of the European search report's publication or the entry into the European phase for international applications.

- A two-month grace period is available, subject to a 50% surcharge .

- Failure to pay the fee on time results in the withdrawal of the validation request.

Additional Information

From April 1, 2025, Laos will be selectable as a validation state in EPO's online filing systems (Online Filing 2.0 and EPO Online Filing). Updated paper forms (EPO Form 1001 and 1200) will also be available on the EPO website.

Further details will be published in the EPO's Official Journal and incorporated into its brochure on National Law Relating to the EPC after the agreement enters into force.

Information source: https://www.epo.org/en/legal/official-journal/validation-of-European-patents-in-la

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