On December 1, 2024, Myanmar’s Intellectual Property Department (IPD) issued the first group of trademark certificates of registration for marks registered under the Trademark Law of 2019. This is the first registration announcement since the start of the IPD’s soft opening period in 2020.
With the registration of marks now in place, registered owners will benefit from stronger legal protections. These protections include the exclusive right to prevent unauthorized use of identical or similar marks by third parties and the ability to take enforcement and administrative actions.
Myanmar’s implementation of the “first-to-file” system further emphasizes the importance of early registration. Marks registered at an early stage will be in a stronger position when filing oppositions against subsequent applications for identical or confusingly similar marks.
The IPD issues certificates of registration in an electronic format to owners who have filed their applications via the IPD’s online filing system. For applicants who submitted their marks via physical applications, the IPD will issue physical certificates of registration.
The initial registration term for a mark is 10 years from the filing date and is renewable for additional periods of 10 years each time. The IPD publicly discloses the details of marks registered under Myanmar’s Trademark Law via their official website.
The IPD’s issuance of mark registrations under the Trademark Law of 2019 is a decisive step forward in intellectual property protection in Myanmar. It enhances legal safeguards for mark owners and any other authorized persons, and affirms Myanmar’s commitment to aligning its practices with global standards.
For more information on protecting intellectual property rights in Myanmar, please contact Tilleke & Gibbins at myanmar@tilleke.com.