Trademarks in Latvia
Katerina Imune Trademark Specialist
Agency TRIA ROBIT 5 Vilandes Street, Riga LV-1010, Riga, Latvia P. O. Box 22, LV-1010 E-mail: info@triarobit.com Tel.: 00371 7320300 Fax: 00371 7325600
Legislation background
The first Trademark Law was passed in 1993. The Law on Trademarks and Indications of Geographical Origin provided a regime for a trademark registration and protection being very close to the European Community Directive 89/104/EEK passed in 1988. Major intellectual property protection legislation in Latvia is in effect since 1993. Currently, the legal status of trademarks in Latvia is determined by the law On Trademarks and Indications of Geographical
Origin of 16 June 1999, entered into force on 15 July 1999, amended in
2002, 2004 and 2007.
Agency TRIA ROBIT 2
Latvia has ratified the following
international agreements
WIPO (since 21 January 1993); The Paris Convention (since 7 September 1993); The Trademark Law Treaty (signed on 27 October 1994); The Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (since 1 January 1995) and Madrid Protocol; The Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (since 1 January 1995); The Agreement for the Protection of Intellectual Property between the Republic of Latvia and the United States of America (effective as from 29 January 1995).
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Latvian Trademark Applications (National + International)
1996 5616
1997 1998 1999 6353 7325 5959
2000
2001 2002 2003 2005 2006
6733
7184 6955 8014 5790 5663
Agency TRIA ROBIT
2004 6751
source: www.lrpv.lv
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Latvian Trademark Applications (National + International)
source: www.lrpv.lv
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Latvian Trademark Applications Filed by Local Companies
1996 724 (16,8%)
1997
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
1031
1508 842 998 262 1262 1278 1290 1367 1455
(16,2%)
(20,5%) (15,1%) (15,0%) (14,8%) (18,1%) (15,9%) (19,1%) (23,6%) (25,7%)
Agency TRIA ROBIT
source: www.lrpv.lv
6
Latvian Trademark Registrations (National + International)
Agency TRIA ROBIT
source: www.lrpv.lv
7
OHIM Trademark Applications filed by Latvian Applicants
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 7 25 31
Agency TRIA ROBIT
source: www.oami.europa.eu
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OHIM Trademark Applications Filed by Applicants from Baltic Countries Lithuania
1996 - 2003 11 2004 2005 2006 2007 17 29 71 24
Estonia
26 30 31 57 70
Latvia
4 7 25 31 25
source: www.oami.europa.eu
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OHIM Trademark Applications (Total)
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 43010 27238 31572 41242 57324 48856 45214 57659 58855 64809 77479
Agency TRIA ROBIT
source: www.oami.europa.eu
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Obtaining Registration
Similarities between CTM and Latvian national system easy-to-file application process relatively quick examination process no relative grounds examination 3 months opposition period administrative opposition procedures validity for 10 years
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Obtaining Registration
Differences between CTM and Latvian national system - CTM: no Power of Attorney is needed for application filing. (Latvia: Power of Attorney is required) - CTM: registration date after publication (Latvia: publication date = registration date)
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The future of business
Based on statistics and trends there is a strong belief that
local business will continue to protect their intellectual property rights both domestically and abroad with more focus to CTM mechanisms giving a unique pan-European protection. As a practical advise to foreign companies doing business in Baltic states may be to always protect their interests in Latvia choosing any registration mechanisms (either national or CTM) based on the business needs in the region.
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Thank You for Your Attention