On Friday, 15 November, Director of the Latvian Patent Office (LPO) Agris Batalauskis, received a Letter of Recognition from the Cabinet of Ministers. It was presented to him by Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere.
Presenting the award, the Minister thanked A. Batalauskis for his contribution to strengthening the intellectual property (IP) sector, as well as to promoting Latvia to the world. The Minister emphasized that the Letter of Recognition was also an assessment of the entire LPO’s team.
The LPO Director also stressed the contribution of the entire Office’ s team to making Latvia's name heard internationally.
Agris Batalauskis has held the position as LPO Director since 1 February 2022. Since his appointment, he has, with his activities, knowledge and previous experience, promoted and strengthened the IP system in Latvia, at the same time strengthening Latvia's position and recognition in the international IP environment.
As LPO Director, A. Batalauskis represents the interests and views of Latvia and LPO in international IP organizations and their structures - the PCT Union Assembly of the General Assembly of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Management Board and Budget Committee of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), as well as the Budget and Finance Committee and other committees of the European Patent Organisation. In addition, on 20 March 2024, A. Batalauskis was elected to the Board of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation for a three-year term (27.06.2024-26.06.2027).
LPO Director A. Batalauskis has contributed to strengthening relations with the WIPO, the EUIPO and the European Patent Office, implementing joint projects aimed at improving the IP system in Latvia, including the enhancement of the quality of services for IP users, thus promoting the development of entrepreneurship.
Since 2023, A. Batalauskis has been involved in the European Union project EU4IP as a representative of Latvia. The main objective of the EU4IP project is to promote appropriate and effective registration, protection and enforcement of IP rights in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. At the same time, the implementation of the project will ensure that these three countries adopt the best European and international standards and fulfil their commitments in the field of IP protection.
Thanks to the active work of A. Batalauskis at the EUIPO, a unique event for Riga - the EUIPO’s DesignEuropa Awards Ceremony – was held on 25 September 2024, which is of great significance for the industrial design sector. It was co-organized by the EUIPO and the LPO, bringing together more than 300 representatives of the IP and industrial design sectors, thus promoting the international recognition of Riga and Latvia. A. Batalauskis also was a member of the EUIPO’s jury of the DesignEuropa Awards.
While working in the justice sector, A. Batalauskis has received the following awards:
1. Badge of Honor for Contribution to the Development of the Latvian Penitentiary System (2019);
2. 2nd degree Letter of Recognition from the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia for significant contribution to the development of the Ministry of Justice, the judicial system and the Latvian legal system, for promoting international cooperation in the field of justice, and for exemplary performance of work duties (2016);
3. Diploma of Honor from the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia (2009);
4. Letter of Recognition and Golden Badge of Honor from the Legal Aid Administration for special contribution to the development of the Latvian legal aid system (2008).