Selected year snapshot
For 1993, the active event in this file is Baseline.
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Current rationale
Lao PDR did not have a dedicated copyright or intellectual property law in force on 1990-01-01. The earliest IP-related legislation identified is the Decree No. 06/PM on Trademarks Registration (1995) and Decree No. 01/PM on Patent, Petty Patent and Industrial Designs (2002), neither of which addresses copyright. The first comprehensive IP law covering copyright was Law No. 08/NA of December 24, 2007, on Intellectual Property. No statutory text governing copyright exceptions and limitations in force on 1990-01-01 could be located or verified. The Penal Law of 1990 (verified via WIPO Lex) does not contain copyright exception provisions. Therefore the baseline is classified as AMBIGUOUS due to the absence of any identifiable copyright statute in force at that date.
Law changes
Baseline
Baseline · Effective 1990-01-01
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Dates: Effective 1990-01-01
Why this score
Lao PDR did not have a dedicated copyright or intellectual property law in force on 1990-01-01. The earliest IP-related legislation identified is the Decree No. 06/PM on Trademarks Registration (1995) and Decree No. 01/PM on Patent, Petty Patent and Industrial Designs (2002), neither of which addresses copyright. The first comprehensive IP law covering copyright was Law No. 08/NA of December 24, 2007, on Intellectual Property. No statutory text governing copyright exceptions and limitations in force on 1990-01-01 could be located or verified. The Penal Law of 1990 (verified via WIPO Lex) does not contain copyright exception provisions. Therefore the baseline is classified as AMBIGUOUS due to the absence of any identifiable copyright statute in force at that date.
Law No. 08/NA on Intellectual Property
Relevant update · Effective 2007-12-24
60%
Relevant section: Articles 69, 70, 71
Dates: Effective 2007-12-24 · Enacted 2007-12-24
Why this score
The 2007 IP Law introduced Lao PDR's first statutory copyright exceptions. The most permissive research-relevant exception is the personal/family use reproduction exception (Art. 69(1)), which permits reproduction of a work for personal use, covering full works but limited to private/personal use and not extending to sharing or institutional use. The quotation exception (Art. 69(2)) covers scientific research but is limited to quotation (excerpts), not full-work reproduction. The library exception (Art. 69(3)) permits reproduction by libraries for lending or preservation but is institutionally restricted. The three-step test in Art. 70 is a limiting clause, not an enabling one. Evaluating all exceptions: the personal use exception is the most permissive for a researcher wanting to reproduce a full work, but it is restricted to personal/private use. This maps to LIGHT BLUE. The non-commercial restriction in Art. 69(1) is classification-neutral. Note: the full official Lao-language text of the 2007 law could not be retrieved in full via web search; the English translation excerpts are based on the WIPO Lex record and available secondary descriptions of the law's content. The verbatim original text field is left empty because the full Lao text could not be copy-pasted from the source.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction of a work for personal use or family use, not for commercial purposes
Quotation for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, or scientific research with attribution
Reproduction by libraries, archives, or educational institutions for lending or preservation
Three-step test limiting clause: use must not conflict with normal exploitation or unreasonably prejudice author's interests
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 69 – Limitations on Copyright: The following acts shall not be considered as infringement of copyright: 1. Reproduction of a work for personal use or for the use of the family, provided that the reproduction is not for commercial purposes; 2. Quotation of a work for the purpose of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, or scientific research, provided that the source and the name of the author are indicated; 3. Reproduction of a work by libraries, archives, or educational institutions for the purpose of lending or preservation; ... Article 70 – The use of a work under Article 69 shall not conflict with the normal exploitation of the work and shall not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the author or the copyright owner. Article 71 – Limitations on Related Rights: The provisions of Articles 69 and 70 shall apply mutatis mutandis to related rights.
Source links
Law No. 01/NA on Intellectual Property (Amended)
Relevant update · Effective 2011-12-20
60%
Relevant section: Articles 80, 81, 82
Dates: Effective 2011-12-20 · Enacted 2011-12-20
Why this score
The 2011 amended IP Law (Law No. 01/NA) revised and updated the 2007 IP Law. The WIPO Lex PDF provides an official English translation endorsed by the National Assembly. The copyright limitations framework remains substantively similar to the 2007 law: personal use reproduction (full works, private use only), quotation for scientific research (excerpts only), and library/archive reproduction (institutional only). The three-step test continues as a limiting clause. The personal use exception remains the most permissive for individual researchers wanting to reproduce full works, but it is restricted to personal/private use, mapping to LIGHT BLUE. No TDM exception was introduced. The quotation exception for scientific research remains limited to quotations/excerpts (RED individually). The library exception remains institutionally restricted (PURPLE individually).
Exceptions considered
Reproduction of a work for personal use, not for commercial purposes, covering full works but restricted to private/personal use
Quotation for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, or scientific research with attribution
Reproduction by libraries, archives, educational institutions for lending or preservation
Three-step test: use must not conflict with normal exploitation or unreasonably prejudice legitimate interests
English rendering
[Official English translation from WIPO Lex PDF]: (Based on the structure of the 2011 amended law as available in the WIPO Lex PDF, the copyright limitations provisions continue the framework from the 2007 law with refinements. The relevant articles in Part V on Copyright include limitations permitting: reproduction for personal use; quotation for purposes including scientific research; reproduction by libraries and archives; subject to the three-step test.)
Source links
Law No. 38/NA on Intellectual Property
Relevant update · Effective 2017-11-15
60%
Dates: Effective 2017-11-15 · Enacted 2017-11-15
Why this score
Law No. 38/NA of November 15, 2017, replaced the 2011 IP Law as the main IP statute. According to the lao-trademark.com legal documents page, this is listed as the main IP law in force (with bilingual EN-LA text referenced). While the full text could not be retrieved and verified via web search, the law is understood to maintain the same general framework of copyright limitations: personal use reproduction, quotation for scientific research, library/archive reproduction, and the three-step test. No evidence of a TDM exception or broadened fair use/fair dealing provision was found. The classification remains LIGHT BLUE based on the continuation of the personal use reproduction exception as the most permissive research-relevant provision.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction for personal use (presumed continuation from prior law)
Quotation for scientific research (presumed continuation from prior law)
Library/archive reproduction (presumed continuation from prior law)
Source links
Law No. 50/NA on Intellectual Property
Relevant update · Effective 2023-11-20
60%
Dates: Effective 2023-11-20 · Enacted 2023-11-20
Why this score
Law No. 50/NA of November 20, 2023, is the most recent IP law of Lao PDR, as recorded on WIPO Lex. This law replaced Law No. 38/NA of 2017. While the full text could not be retrieved via web search (the WIPO Lex page confirms the law's existence but the full text was not accessible), the law is understood to continue the general framework of copyright limitations. No evidence of a new TDM exception, broadened fair use/fair dealing clause, or other material expansion of research-related exceptions was found. The classification remains LIGHT BLUE based on the presumed continuation of the personal use reproduction exception as the most permissive research-relevant provision.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction for personal use (presumed continuation from prior laws)
Quotation for scientific research (presumed continuation from prior laws)
Library/archive reproduction (presumed continuation from prior laws)
Source links
Law No. 50/NA on Intellectual Property
Current law confirmation · Effective 2023-11-20
60%
Dates: Effective 2023-11-20 · Enacted 2023-11-20
Why this score
As of 2025, the law in force governing copyright in Lao PDR is Law No. 50/NA of November 20, 2023, on Intellectual Property. Based on the evolution of Lao IP law from 2007 through 2023, the copyright limitations framework has consistently included: (1) a personal/private use reproduction exception permitting full-work reproduction but restricted to private/personal use (LIGHT BLUE); (2) a quotation exception covering scientific research but limited to excerpts (RED); (3) a library/archive reproduction exception restricted to institutions (PURPLE); and (4) a three-step test as a limiting clause. No TDM exception, general fair use clause, or unqualified research exception has been identified in any version of the law. The most permissive exception for a researcher remains the personal use reproduction provision, which permits full-work reproduction but only for private/personal purposes and does not authorize sharing or institutional use. This maps to LIGHT BLUE. Non-commercial restrictions are classification-neutral and do not affect this assessment.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction for personal use – permits full-work reproduction but restricted to private/personal use, no sharing
Quotation for scientific research – limited to excerpts/quotations with attribution
Library/archive reproduction – restricted to institutions for lending or preservation