Last year we reported that the EPO signed a validation agreement with Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). The EPO have now announced that this agreement will come into force on 1 April 2025. This means that it will be possible to validate European patent applications in Lao PDR which have been filed on or after 1 April 2025.
A European Patent can be brought into force in a number of states. There are the core member states (these are the states that are members of the European Patent Organisation, EPO), extension states, and validation states. Lao PDR will be joining the five validation agreements already in force: Morocco, Republic of Moldova, Tunisia, Cambodia and Georgia.
To obtain protection in Lao PDR for European patent applications, applicants will have to submit a request and pay a validation fee to the EPO within six months of publication of the European search report. For Euro-PCT applications, the fee will have to be paid within the 31-month period for entry of a PCT application into the European phase.
Further information about validating European patent applications in Lao PDR will be published by the EPO once the agreement has entered into force.
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