The absence of a publishing law has made it increasingly difficult for the government to control the printing, publishing and distribution of books in Laos. Furthermore, although the profitability of state printing companies continues to be guaranteed by their exclusive rights to print newspapers, print quality remains mediocre due to the lack of funds to upgrade outdated equipment and train staff in the use of new technology.

As elsewhere in the region, one of the most significant problems facing the Lao publishing sector is that of copyright infringement. At the present time the only piece of IP legislation in existence is the Prime Minister's Decree on Trademark Registration No 06/PM, dated 18 January 1995. The Department of Intellectual Property, Standardisation and Metrology of the Science, Technology and Environment Agency (STEA) is responsible for giving guidance on trademark registration and for drafting industrial property laws (a new Decree on Industrial Property Matters is currently awaiting approval). However, as Laos prepares to participate in various international trade agreements, the development of legislation and methods of enforcement relating to the protection of intellectual property will become increasingly urgent.