Cambodia to validate European patents

Cambodia as a small country naturally struggles to provide the infrastructure to develop a full IP system. Sensibly they take a pragmatic approach, rather than trying to design and build their own full IP system with limited resources. For example Singapore's IPOS  assists with examination.
 
Now they have signed an agreement with the EPO, so that European patents can be validated and then automatically apply to Cambodia. There are several steps to take, but the net result is that extending a patent to Cambodia becomes a straightforward administrative step. It reduces the cost and difficulty of examining and grant patents locally, and avoids the need to hire and train large numbers of examiners.  Cambodia simply benefits from the expertise and work already done in Munich. It becomes the first country in Asia to recognise European patents.

Other countries could learn from Cambodia; that building your own IP system should involve resource sharing with other countries. Better a small sovereignty compromise than an inadequate or poor quality system.