Intellectual property rights in South East Asian least developed countries: The cases of Cambodia, the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, and Myanmar

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, changes in the intellectual property right (IPR) regime of developing countries have been marked by the influence of the WTO. State members have adjusted their systems to the standards set by the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), a process that has been complex for least developed countries such as Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and Myanmar. This chapter reviews the developments in intellectual property in these three countries. It argues that these nations have overhauled their legal systems to meet TRIPS standards, and that their governments have recognised the importance of the protection of IPRs as one of the key factors to promote innovation and economic development. However, lack of institutional capacity and technical and human resources have impeded enforcement of IPR laws and prevented the economies of these nations from fully benefiting from the new IPR regimes.