Minister's Office

Nay Pyi Taw, July 23

   The Supervisory Committee on Import, Storage and Distribution of Edible Oil under the Ministry of Commerce has been closely observing the FOB prices in Malaysia and Indonesia including transportation cost, tariff and banking service charges, and issuing the wholesale market reference rate for edible oil on weekly basis.

   According to market condition and prices in the world's palm oil producing and exporting countries during this week, the reference prices of palm oil in the Yangon market is announced at Ks 4,230 per Viss for the period from 24 July 2023 to 30 July 2023.

   If those retailers and wholesalers are found overcharging, storing inventory intentionally and attempting unscrupulous action to manipulate the market, they will be taken by legal action under the Essential Goods and Services Law.

   The palm oil reference prices can be found on Department of Consumer Affairs’ website: www.doca.gov.mm, its Facebook page and the Facebook page of the Myanmar Edible Oil Dealers’ Association.

Nay Pyi Taw, July 13

   The consultation meeting of Patent Rules (draft) was held at the meeting room (1) of the Ministry of Commerce, Nay Pyi Taw in the afternoon on July 13, 2023 and the Deputy Minister for Commerce delivered an opening speech.

   In the opening speech, the Deputy Minister said the intellectual property sector is the main role for the development of the business ecosystem of the State. Intellectual Property Department has been implementing IP system in order to increase foreign investments, create new job opportunities, enhance trade facilitations, and promote innovations. In this regard, the four IP Laws namely Trademark Law, Industrial Design Law, Patent Law and Copyright Law were promulgated in Myanmar in 2019.

   And then, he said that Patent Law was promulgated on March 11, 2019 with the aim to have mutual advantage of technological knowledge and socio-economic welfare between inventors and users of inventions, to develop the production of the State by promoting technological innovations and dissemination and transfer of technology and to encourage the development of innovative social environment.

   Deputy Minister also said that the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) has drafted Patent Rules for the implementation of the Patent Law. As the comments and suggestions for the draft rules have been received from the respective ministries and organizations, this consultation meeting was held. Moreover, he added that the necessary matters in the draft rules will be amended and added based on the discussions and recommendations of today meeting and the rules will be confirmed to enter into force in accordance with the procedure.

   Next, Director General of the Department of Intellectual Property, Dr. Moe Moe Thwe and the responsible person of the Patent Division explained with PowerPoints the status of asking comments and suggestions on the draft Patent rules and the preparatory conditions of the final draft. Thereupon, representatives from the invited ministries and organizations discussed their respective sectors on the rules and the meeting was concluded.

Nay Pyi Taw, July 11

   The Myanmar Coffee Export Promotion Task Force held its first meeting at 10.00 AM on 11^th July 2023 at the meeting room (2) of the Ministry of Commerce, Nay Pyi Taw and the Chairman of the Myanmar Coffee Export Promotion Task Force, Deputy Minister for Commerce U Nyunt Aung delivered the speech.

   At the meeting, the Chairman of the Myanmar Coffee Export Promotion Task Force, said that the Central Coffee Committee has been formed to encourage for the development of the coffee sector, to lay down the relevant policies needed for the implementation of the coffee supply chain and intending Myanmar to become as a major coffee exporting country to access global market. He also mentioned that the three Supervisory Committees and the Myanmar Coffee Export Promotion Task Force under the Central Coffee Committee have also been set up for the expansion of coffee plantations as well as the development of coffee value chain. The Deputy Minister also said that a working group led by Director Generals from the Ministry of Commerce toured Taunggyi, Ywagan and Hopong in the Shan State, and Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay Region, where the coffee beans were mainly produced, in order to explore and discuss with the farmers and producers.

   The members of the Task Force widely discussed the status of coffee production in respective regions and states, the expansion of plantation, lending loans for the development of the coffee plantation and production, availability of qualified seeds, technical assistances for high quality products, smooth import of machineries to produce the value-added coffee products and land utilization. Then, the Chairman of the Task Force coordinated the issues discussed by the members.

   The Director Generals from Ministry of Commerce, the Heads of the General Administration Departments form Kayin State, Shan State, Tanintharyi Region and Mandalay Region, the officials concerned from the Department of Land Administration and Statistics, the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Forest, the Chairman of Myanmar Coffee Association and leaders of Coffee Clusters from Pyin Oo Lwin, Ywagan and Hopong attended the meeting.

Nay Pyi Taw, July 3

   The Consultation Meeting regarding the Rules on Registration of Collective Management Organizations on Copyright or Related Rights (draft) was held at the meeting room (1) of the Ministry of Commerce, Nay Pyi Taw in the morning on 3 ^rd July 2023 and the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Commerce delivered an opening speech.

   In the opening speech, U Nyunt Aung, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Commerce said that the intellectual property sector is the main role for the business development of the State. The four IP Laws namely Trademark Law, Industrial Design Law, Patent Law and Copyright Law were promulgated in Myanmar since 2019 and among them, Trademark Law has already been implemented.

   In order to implement the Copyright Law, the Intellectual Property Department has been drafting the main two rules. The first rule is the Rules on Registration of Literary and Artistic Works and Related Rights Objects (draft) and a consultation meeting was held in August, 2022. This rule has been performed not only requesting the comments for recommendations from the Ministry of Legal Affairs but also discussions with them. The next rule is rules on Registration of Collective Management Organizations on Copyright or Related Rights (draft) which has been drafted. This consultation meeting is held since the recommendations for this rule have been received from respective ministries and organizations. The discussions will be made for the confirmation of proposals and revisions based on the recommendations made by respective ministries and organizations.

   Then, he added that Intellectual Property infringements will be decreased by supervising literary or artistic works because Collective Management Organization on Copyright or Related Rights (CMO) will administer collecting the equitable remuneration from the users on literary or artistic works, performances and phonograms and allocate to the author or owner of copyright or related rights by promulgating this rule. Moreover, it will provide many benefits for the author or owner of copyright or related rights because of cooperating with foreign collective management organizations in accordance with the agreements. He also said that the necessary things will be prepared and completed according to the discussions and recommendations from this meeting and the Rules on Registration of Collective Management Organizations on Copyright or Related Rights will be carried out as per the procedures.

   Next, Director General of the Department of Intellectual Property, Dr. Moe Moe Thwe and responsible person of Copyright Division explained the status of getting suggestions, recommendations and preparatory conditions of the Rules on Registration of Collective Management Organizations on Copyright or Related Rights (draft) with PowerPoint. Thereupon, the representatives from the invited ministries and organizations discussed their respective sectors on this rule and concluded the meeting.

Nay Pyi Taw, June 30^th

            Workshop on implementation of the Warehouse Receipt Financing System (WRFS) was held by the Ministry of Commerce in collaboration with the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) at the Ministry of Commerce in Nay Pyi Taw on 30 ^th June 2023.

            At the workshop, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Commerce, U Nyunt Aung delivered the opening speech and mentioned that the workshop is organized to develop the Warehouse Receipt Financing System, one of the outcomes of Myanmar Rice Conference 2022, with an aim to enhance the socio-economic development of small holder farmers and to reduce the postharvest losses. WRFS is a system that will allow farmers to get loans from banks by using the certificate of warehouse receipt by depositing crops in storage warehouses as collateral. In this system, farmers will play as the owners of crops, the warehouse owners as the persons who issue the warehouse certificate, private and public banks as lenders who issue loans based on warehouse receipt and the government departmental organizations as regulatory bodies. By implementing this system, it will be possible to prevent the decrease in profits, remedy the losses of the farmers and also contribute to the stability of rice prices due to the decrease in the price of rice during harvesting. Moreover, it will help to enhance the export of good quality commodities through the development of a warehouse system, contributing to the economic development of the nation. Therefore, it is needed to implement this system in the coordination between public and private sectors in a harmonious manner. On the other hand, the Ministry is drafting the Rice Law and it is expected to promulgate soon, in which the provisions that administer the procedures for post-harvest handling are included.

The agenda of the workshop includes the sessions of presentation and panel discussion, in which the participants discussed the required policies and procedures for the implementation of the Warehouse Receipt Financing System in detail and achieved the way forward.

            Vice Chairman for Central Bank of Myanmar, Dr. Lin Aung, officials from the related Ministries and representatives from the private sector participated at the workshop.