NAY PYI TAW July 3
International Conference on Intellectual Property – 2025 was held at Jasmine Naypyitaw Hotel here this morning with an address delivered by Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present were SAC Joint Secretary General Ye Win Oo, SAC members, union level dignitaries, union ministers, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the Nay Pyi Taw Council chair, deputy ministers, departmental officials, internal and external intellectual property (IP)experts, rectors, local and foreign resource persons, legal experts, intellectual property doctoral students, members of associations and honoured guests.
The Senior General formally inaugurated the International Conference on Intellectual Property – 2025 through the application of digital technology.
Artistees of the Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture sang songs in commemoration of the conference.
In his keynote address, the Senior General said the improvement of a country’s economy and living standard depends on the factors including creativity, MSME development, and increase in investment and trade flow. Especially, the scope of intellectual property rights is growing and has become an essential part in the areas of foreign trade, foreign investment and science and technology cooperation. In this regard, a firm intellectual property system is very supportive of industrial development and foreign investment growth in modernizing and developing a country.
Identification of the international method of exercising the intellectual property system, pros and cons and future action are the aims of the conference. Moreover, promotion of intellectual property knowledge, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, development of investment, trade and commerce, and supportive of national economic growth are also its other goals. The conference is organized for holding discussions aimed at strengthening the intellectual property (IP) eco-system that encourages innovation, economic progress and cultural conservation in Myanmar.
Section 37 (c) of the 2008 Constitution states, “The Union shall permit citizens right of private property, right of inheritance, right of private initiative and patent in accord with the law.” Section 372 also states, “The Union guarantees the right to ownership, the use of property and the right to private invention and patent in the conduct of business if it is not contrary to the provisions of this Constitution and the existing laws.”
In Myanmar, the four key intellectual property (IP) laws are the Trademark Law, Industrial Design Law, Copyright Law, and Patent Law. These laws were enacted in 2019 and provide a framework for protecting various forms of IP. Trademark Law, Industrial Design Law, and Patent Law came into force in 2023 and Copyright Law in 2024, and they are being implemented as special laws.
As Myanmar is a member of World Trade Organization (WTO) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), it must abide by the Trade Related Aspect of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement). Likewise, it should par-take in the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Intellectual Property Cooperation.
In addition, the country is materializing the ASEAN intellectual property rights action plan included in ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and like other regional and ASEAN countries, it is exercising intellectual property rights.
As a nation, we are actively working with regional countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. Additionally, Myanmar is implementing the Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) (2018-2030), a comprehensive, long-term, and balanced national development plan. Intellectual property rights play a significant role in these plans, contributing greatly to fostering innovation and establishing sustainable industries by promoting the use of intellectual property systems.
Innovation is an ongoing necessity for humanity, and the advancements we enjoy today are due to the contributions of early innovators. To enhance innovation and creativity, there is a need to create an ecosystem that connects universities, research institutions, and MSME entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the trademarks, creative designs, inventions, and literary and artistic works used by MSME entrepreneurs can be protected through intellectual property systems.
Collaboration between universities, research institutions, and MSMEs to commercialize innovations is a common practice in economically developed countries worldwide. Therefore, promoting the use of intellectual property rights in the MSME sector is essential.
The International Intellectual Property Conference 2025, starting today, will discuss efforts by ASEAN and partner countries to advance intellectual property systems, technological progress, intellectual property protection for MSME development, digital media and intellectual property, and the protection of local products and traditional knowledge. Through research papers presented by domestic and international experts, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of intellectual property and related knowledge.
Entrepreneurs and future generations of youth will have the opportunity to learn successful approaches, best practices, and lessons in the field of intellectual property. Attendees will benefit from the knowledge and insights shared through research papers, enabling them to address intellectual property challenges and issues while enhancing their understanding and sharing the acquired knowledge for broader impact.
The outcomes and insights gained from the International Intellectual Property Conference will serve as a driving force to develop a modern and effective intellectual property system to foster a thriving economic ecosystem. Relevant ministries, organizations, and experts are urged to collaborate responsibly in their respective sectors.
Following this, the Senior General and attendees watched a documentary on the International Conference on Intellectual Property – 2025.
They then took a group photo and toured the commemorative exhibition of the conference with great interest.
The International Conference on Intellectual Property – 2025 will be held until July 4, with domestic and international presenters discussing relevant topics.
