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ARTICLE · 21 MARCH 2025

Laos Joins As An EPO Validation State

Boult Wade Tennant LLP
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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.

LaosIntellectual Property
Lizzie Alexander
Lizzie Alexander
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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.

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