Cambodia system opens recordals
05 March 2025
With Cambodia’s customs recordal system now accepting trademarks, geographical indications (GIs), copyrights and exclusive distribution agreements, the benefits for rights holders are numerous. According to Sereyratha Chan, a senior associate at S&O IP at Phnom Penh, this system significantly improves IP enforcement at the border by preventing IP infringement and parallel imports.
Sereyratha Chan I Senior associate @ S&O IP, Phnom Penh
She said: “The most critical aspect is providing data to customs officials, enabling them to be more proactive in ex-officio actions. This will also lead customs to recognize and actively protect the brands of rights holders. I believe that Cambodia’s customs recordal system is similar to our neighboring countries but is still in its early stages and required to improve on its system.”
She added that currently, challenges include excessive documentation; system not operating efficiently, leading to technical difficulties during the submission; and no notification upon application submission. The system only informs applicants whether the submission is accepted or returned without acceptance.
To ensure the long-term effectiveness of the system, she said it is crucial to improve the skills and knowledge of the customs officials by providing training and workshops. In addition, she suggested gathering feedback from applicants, system updates to keep updating and improving the system’s functionality to make it more user-friendly and efficient, and collaborating with international organizations, especially with ASEAN, to adopt best practices.
- Excel V. Dyquiangco
