How To Protect Well-Known Marks In Myanmar

Previously, well-known marks were not fully protected in Myanmar and there were no criteria to determine whether a mark is well-known even though it was recognised under the Common Law system. This changed once the new Trade Mark Law (TML) was enforced on 1 April 2023, granting trademark owners comprehensive rights to maintain the exclusivity of their marks and protect their brand reputation. This extends to well-known marks.

As of the end of 2023, about 50,000 trademark applications have been filed at the IP office through the online and manual filing systems. These applications are still undergoing examination and notifications of office actions would be issued based on the submission date. Once the applications are published, well-known mark status will play an important role in opposition (to prevent third-party registration) and invalidation (even