Latvia

GENERAL INFORMATION

Area: 64,589 sq. km.

Population: 1,871,882 (2024).

Capital: Riga.

Language: Latvian (official), Russian.

Currency: Euro.

 

 

GENERAL REMARKS

Latvia is the central country of the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). On the world map Latvia is to be found in north-eastern Europe, on the east coast of the Baltic Sea.

Latvia joined NATO in the spring of 2004 and the European Union as of May 1, 2004.

 

 

PATENTS OF INVENTION

LEGAL BASIS

• Patent Law, in force since March 1, 2007, with latest amendments in force since May 22, 2024.
• Industrial Property Institutions and Procedures Law, in force since January 1, 2016, with latest amendments in force since November 11, 2025.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, Stockholm Act, since September 7, 1993.
• Patent Cooperation Treaty, since September 7, 1993.
• European Patent Convention, since July 1, 2005.

 

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Specification, abstract and drawings (if any);
• Priority document (if applicable);
• A document on the deposit of the microorganism in an international depository authority (if applicable).

 

REMARKS

National Phase of PCT: under Chapter I: 31 months; under Chapter II: 31 months.

Validity: issued after formal examination – valid for 20 years from the filing date.

Annuities: are to be paid after the grant of the patent.

Opposition: none.

 

 

TRADE AND SERVICE MARKS

LEGAL BASIS

• Trademark Law, in force since March 6, 2020, with latest amendments in force since December 1, 2025.
• Industrial Property Institutions and Procedures Law, in force since January 1, 2016, with latest amendments in force since November 11, 2025.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, Stockholm Act, since September 7, 1993.
• Madrid Agreement, since January 1, 1995.
• Madrid Protocol, since January 5, 2000.

 

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• The mark and the list of goods for which the mark should be protected;
• 1 representation of the mark (size: 5 x 5; 5 x 10; 8 x 8 cm); images in electronic format accepted;
• Priority document, if any

 

REMARKS

Kinds of protection: verbal, pictorial, or a combination of both, two- and three-dimensional designations. Collective marks and service marks are registrable.

Classification: International.

Obligation to use the registered mark: compulsory. Non-use during any five-year period of effective registration allows any interested party to require cancellation of the registration.

Duration – renewals: 10 years from the filing date, renewable for further 10-year periods.

Opposition: possible within three months from the publication date.

 

 

INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS

LEGAL BASIS

• Law on Industrial Designs, in force since November 18, 2004, with latest amendments in force from July 16, 2019.
• Industrial Property Institutions and Procedures Law, in force since January 1, 2016, with latest amendments in force since November 6, 2025.

 

MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS

• Paris Convention, Stockholm Act, since September 7, 1993.
• Hague Agreement, Geneva Act, since July 26, 2005.

 

FILING REQUIREMENTS

• Information identifying the applicant and the designer;
• A representation of the design;
• Priority document (may be filed within three months);
• Deed of Assignment, only if the applicant is not the same as the one shown in the priority document.

 

REMARKS

Duration – renewals: after formal examination: 5 years from the date of application. Extension: four additional 5-year periods.

Opposition: third parties may contest the registration of a design before the Board of Appeal, within three months from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

 

 

DOMAIN NAMES

LEGAL BASIS

• There is no specific legislation although some regulations on the organization and management of country code top-level domain names do exist.

 

FILING

• ccTLD: .lv
• Applicant: individuals and legal entities.
• Local presence: not required.

 

REMARKS

Duration – renewals: one to five years, renewable.

Uniform dispute resolution procedure: available (variation of UDRP) before WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center.

 

 

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