Mickey Mouse (or, rather, a specific early version of the iconic Disney character) famously entered the public domain in the United States on January 1, 2024, almost 100 years after his 1928 debut in the short film Steamboat Willie. Mickey’s arrival highlighted the increasingly wide annual observance of “Public Domain Day”—the day when creative works enter the public domain for the first time, after the expiration of their copyright terms. This date, however, is not international, and depends on the copyright laws of each country. In Vietnam, Mickey Mouse had been in the public domain for years. Vietnam’s public domain regime Under Vietnam’s IP Law, the duration of copyright protection for moral rights is indefinite, except for rights to publish the works, which, together with economic rights, have a protection term of 75 years from first publication for cinematographic works, photography, applied art, and anonymous works. When these works are not published within 25 years from the date of their creation, the protection term is 100 years from the date of creation. For anonymous works, the protection term is determined when information about the author becomes available. For other types of copyrighted works (such as literary and musical works), following the Berne Convention, the protection term is for the life of the author and 50 years after the author’s death. Works for which the terms of protection have expired belong to the public. Everyone is entitled to use such works but must respect the moral rights of the authors. According to these regulations, Steamboat Willie and two other 1928 Mickey Mouse shorts, which are regarded as cinematographic works, have been in the public domain in Vietnam since 2003. This means that, for the past 21 years, anyone could legally copy, publish or distribute those shorts in Vietnam, and could

Tilleke & Gibbins’ project finance specialists in Vietnam have contributed the Vietnam chapter to Project Finance 2024 from The Legal 500. The guide, which is part of The Legal 500’s Country Comparative Guides series, furnishes investors and businesses with key information related to project finance in jurisdictions around the world. Each Q&A-style chapter provides in-depth details on the legal regimes affecting a wide range of project financing topics, including: Ownership structures and corporate governance; Security interests, regimes, and enforcement; Regulatory requirements and consents; Foreign exchange considerations; Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues; Public-private partnerships; Foreign judgments; Tax considerations; Common funding structures; and Insurance law principles. Tilleke & Gibbins also authored the Thailand chapter of Project Finance 2024. The Vietnam chapter of the guide is available as a PDF through the button below, courtesy of The Legal 500. The full guide is accessible for free on The Legal 500 website.

Project finance specialists from Tilleke & Gibbins’ Bangkok office have contributed the Thailand chapter to Project Finance 2024 from The Legal 500. The guide, which is part of The Legal 500’s Country Comparative Guides series, furnishes investors and businesses with key information related to project finance in jurisdictions around the world. Each Q&A-style chapter provides in-depth details on the legal regimes affecting a wide range of project financing topics, including: Ownership structures and corporate governance; Security interests, regimes, and enforcement; Regulatory requirements and consents; Foreign exchange considerations; Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues; Public-private partnerships; Foreign judgments; Tax considerations; Common funding structures; and Insurance law principles. Tilleke & Gibbins also authored the Vietnam chapter of Project Finance 2024. The Thailand chapter of the guide is available as a PDF through the button below, courtesy of The Legal 500. The full guide is accessible for free on The Legal 500 website.

Can rights holders record trademark and brand-related IP information with customs and, if so, how? Rights holders can record their registered marks with the Myanmar Customs Department to protect their intellectual property rights from cross-border trade in counterfeit goods bearing their registered marks under the Trademark Law, which came into force on April 1, 2023. Furthermore, regardless of whether they have filed a customs recordation, registered mark owners can request a suspension order to prevent the release of goods into free circulation if they have evidence giving reason to suspect that counterfeit goods are being—or will be—imported into the country, in accordance with Section 68 of the Trademark Law’s. According to Ministry of Planning and Finance (MOPF) Notification No. 50/2023, once a trademark is registered under the Trademark Law in Myanmar, the registered mark owner is entitled to apply for a customs recordation with the Customs Department directly or via a legal representative at no cost. Unless the mark is registered with the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) under the Trademark Law, a customs recordation or suspension order cannot be applied. A customs recordation is valid for two years from the date of the application’s acceptance. The recordation can be renewed every two years, 30 days before the expiration date. After the customs recordation is made, any information amended or withdrawn for the registered mark at the IPD must also be provided to the Customs Department within three working days, together with any necessary documentation reflecting the amendments or withdrawal. Customs recordation is not available for industrial designs. The Industrial Design Law and Industrial Design Rules do not provide the requirements and process for a customs recordation or suspension order in relation to industrial designs. Section 68 of the Industrial Design Law indicates that, upon a rights holder’s request, the