KASS opens a branch in Myanmar!

KASS is pleased to announce that it has opened its third overseas branch office in Yangon, Myanmar. As more and more Malaysian businesses are exporting products and services to Myanmar, we as a leading Intellectual Property firm in Malaysia have often been approached to register their Trademark (brand), Designs and Patents in Myanmar.

To satisfy the growing need for personalized Intellectual Property services in Myanmar, KASS recently opened a branch office in Yangon, the commercial capital of Myanmar.

Myanmar is the largest country in mainland South-East Asia with a total land area of 676,578 square kilometres. It stretches 2200 kilometres from north to south and 925 kilometres from east-west at its widest point. Known and notable global brand names from the USA, Europe and other countries have manufacturing plants in Myanmar and there are more and more companies venturing into this fast-developing country.

KASS Myanmar is headed by a dynamic Burmese lawyer who is experienced in Intellectual Property registration and enforcement of Intellectual Property rights in that country.

All instructions and enquiries on Intellectual Property matters in Myanmar should be directed to our head office in Kuala Lumpur and we will respond to your instructions.

Few things to know about IP protection in Myanmar:

There, currently, is no IP law in Myanmar.

Trademarks can be ‘applied for’ in Myanmar but this entails the filing of a Power of Attorney and Declaration of Ownership at their ‘Registry’.

After the Trademark ‘application’ is made, a Cautionary Notice is filed to inform the public of the existence of the trademark.

Patents and Designs are ‘filed’ in the same manner as Trademarks. However, recently, the Registration Office announced that they no longer accept Patent or Design applications (by filing, we mean the filing of Declaration of Ownership) –this started with effect from 22 September 2017. They are waiting for the new Patent Law and new Industrial Design Law to be enforced soon.

Renewals are ‘filed’ in the same manner as how the initial application is made.

All of the above will change when the new IP law is enforced, which should be sometime in this year (2018).

Moving forward, with our direct presence in the Golden Land, we will keep you abreast with further updates on their new IP laws. The draft laws will hopefully be open to public opinion and further revisions to ensure that Myanmar’s intellectual property rights law and related regulations will be more efficient and structured for both, local and foreign IP owners.

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KASS

Communications at KASS International Sdn Bhd

KASS International is an established Intellectual Property Firm which offers a one-stop solution for IP matters in Malaysia, South East Asia, and worldwide.