Cambodia has issued a set of regulations that aim to encourage greater energy efficiency from appliances marketed in the country. The regulations follow Cambodia’s adoption of its National Energy Efficiency Policy, which sets out the government’s energy efficiency targets and policies to reach them by 2030, including the ambitious national target of reducing the country’s total energy consumption by at least 19%. This set of regulations for appliances marketed in Cambodia is contained in Sub-Decree No. 254 on the Management and Improvement of Energy Efficiency of Electrical Appliances, dated August 11, 2023. This sub-decree sets out product registration and energy efficiency labeling requirements for electrical appliances marketed in Cambodia. It further provides that appliances should meet energy efficiency standards and all other mandatory standards that apply to electrical appliances. During the product registration process, the appliances are checked against such standards, and registration is only granted if the standards are met. The sub-decree identifies the Ministry of Mines and Energy as the main ministry responsible for the implementation of the sub-decree. To assist with the wide scope of regulations as set by the sub-decree, it further appoints assisting ministries that may implement and enforce only certain aspects. These effective implementation and enforcement mechanisms suggest that once the sub-decree’s 12-month implementation period has passed, there is likely to be a rather strict enforcement approach to the requirements. Key Features of the Sub-Decree Several mandatory standards have already been applied to most electrical appliances over the past years, but the required product registration process to check for compliance with those standards has not always been completed by those importing, distributing, or manufacturing electrical appliances in Cambodia. The new sub-decree clearly mandates a product registration requirement as a check to verify the applicable standards are met, and sets penalties for non-compliance. Penalties

Laos’ Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) has added to the list of goods subject to the country’s recently imposed import-export registration requirement. Traders who import or export goods on the expanded list, which was issued in MOIC Notification No. 1941 on September 18, 2023, must first obtain a certificate authorizing their import or export activities. The six additional categories of goods specified by the notification, along with the corresponding Harmonized System (HS) codes from the World Customs Organization, are: Mining – HS 2601–2611, 2613–2617 Electricity – HS 27160000 Wood and wood products – HS 4401–4421, 4701–4707, 4801–4812, 94 Spare parts and electronic equipment, electrical equipment – HS 8501–8548 Cigarettes – HS 240220 Alcoholic beverages – 2203–2206, 2208 Enterprises that import or export these goods must complete registration with the MOIC’s Department of Import and Export (DIMEX) by October 31, 2023. Enterprises not registered with DIMEX will be prohibited from importing or exporting these goods. Importers and exporters of other goods not covered by this list may also register, with the option of registering until any future changes to the import-export registration requirements dictate otherwise. Registrants must also seek Bank of Lao PDR certification of their commercial bank accounts. Following this, they must ask the relevant commercial bank to convert their account to an import-export account. For more details on Laos’ new import-export registration rules, or on any aspect of trade involving Laos, please contact Tilleke & Gibbins at [email protected].

The most familiar and well-protected IP rights are copyrights, patents, and trademarks. However, geographical indications (GIs) are also protected by TRIPS, and are perhaps the most contested rights worldwide. Like a trademark, a GI identifies the origin of goods, but refers to a particular region which yields product qualities that cannot be replicated elsewhere. In practice, most GIs relate to agricultural products, and many originate from Europe, such as the terms Champagne, Mozzarella, and Parmesan. Due to the fundamental relationship between place and product, there have been major arguments that producers outside a specified region are not permitted to use the place name on product labels, no matter how similar their product is to the GI-protected product. A few years ago, a series of European GIs for cheese products were opposed in Vietnam by U.S. producers who considered the terms common names that should not be monopolized under the GI protection scheme. In addition, the overlapping rights between trademarks and GIs and their historically tempestuous relationship add more trauma to lawmakers and IP practitioners. Amid this controversy, Vietnam has joined many international agreements with regard to IP and GI rights, including the TRIPS Agreement, the CPTPP, and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Although Vietnam’s IP Law has been amended to reflect these agreements, Vietnamese lawmakers still bear a heavy responsibility in drafting and issuing legislation to further guide the implementation of the amended law, to not only correctly reflect Vietnam’s international commitments, but also to balance the rights of many sides with conflicting interests regarding GIs and trademarks. This legislation includes an upcoming circular regarding industrial property rights (the “draft Circular”). Information Transparency The CPTPP requires GI applications or petitions to be published for opposition, and provides procedures for opposing such GIs. In addition, it requires Vietnam to

Attorneys from Tilleke & Gibbins have prepared the Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand sections of the recently released Global Merger Notification Guide from Lex Mundi. The guide provides answers to key questions related to the merger notification requirements in jurisdictions of Lex Mundi member firms in 57 jurisdictions around the world. Each country-specific section contains in-depth information on the jurisdiction’s legal framework governing merger notifications, addressing the following questions and topics: Regulatory agency for merger notifications Transactions subject to national rules Timeline for filing merger notifications Merger review process Sanctions for not fulfilling merger notification requirements Remedial options for addressing the regulator’s competition concerns Current regulatory outlook and other notable information The guide draws on the expertise of Lex Mundi member firms from around the world. Its innovative format allows users to compare current information from multiple jurisdictions in a side-by-side, customizable report. To browse the contributions, generate country-specific reports, and compare regulatory guidance on merger notification requirements across multiple jurisdictions, please visit the Lex Mundi website.