Science ministry welcomes arts copyright declaration

Lao authorities have issued a new regulation that enables artists to declare copyright ownership and obtain a certificate that can be used as a reference in the case of a legal dispute.
Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Dr Boviengkham Vongdara, signed the decision on copyright and copyright ownership on December 17, creating a platform for artists to declare their inventions and obtain a copyright declaration certificate.
According to the ministerial decision on copyright and copyright ownership, which was posted on the Lao official gazette website on January 20, artists can declare their inventions and obtain a copyright certificate at the copyright department.  
Artists such as musicians, songwriters and poets and the creators of other forms of art can also file an application form to declare and obtain a copyright certificate at a Science and Technology Department in Vientiane or any of the provinces, according to the ministerial decision.
An application must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant’s invention and the appropriate fee.
The decision states that after an applicant has submitted all the required documents, the authorities must issue a certificate of declared copyright within 15 days.
To prevent delays in issuing the certificate, authorities must immediately tell applicants to provide all the necessary documents.
The invention must be wholly original, the ministerial decision states. Journalists who report news and facts cannot claim any ownership rights as they do not create anything new; they only report the facts and what is taking place.  
The decision states that the benefit of a copyright declaration certificate is that artists can use it as a reference if they need to claim the right of ownership of their invention.
They can also use the certificate as a reference if they sell or transfer their copyright to another person or business.
Observers say the use of copyright declaration certificates will motivate artists to invent more products, knowing that they will have protected copyright.
Over the years, many people have written music, poetry and novels but failed to benefit from their work as many other people copied their inventions without paying them, because of the lack of legislation.
The international community has asked Laos to enforce the law on copyright so that the interests of their business operators are protected.
The ministerial move on copyright and copyright ownership is part of authorities’ efforts to enforce the copyright law, according to the decision.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
(Latest Update January 27, 2020)