Edited by GRAIN

February, 1998

History: Laos passed a Patent Law in 1951 but dependency under the French Patent Law of 1844 is still valid. Laos is not party to the WTO.

Membership: WIPO ACCESS TO GENETIC RESOURCES The government of Laos is starting to draw up the elements for a law on access to genetic resources. A project funded by IDRC and managed by the University of British Columbia is facilitating the Laotian government's work on this law. The most recent workshop was held in August 1997.

SOURCES - Alan Jacobs (ed.), Patents Throughout the World, Clark, Boardman & Callaghan, New York , Release #50, July 1995. - Glen Hearns, personal communications.