On 3 and 4 September, in Jurmala, Latvia, the Latvian Patent Office (LPO) will host a regional seminar for judges on current issues in intellectual property (IP), where internationally recognized lecturers will share the latest information with seminar participants who will have the opportunity to engage in discussions on current events related to IP rights protection. This year, special attention will be devoted to copyright and the impact of artificial intelligence on IP rights.
For the ninth year, the annual training for judges is being organized by the LPO in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and the European Patent Office (EPO).
The two-day seminar will be opened by Mr. Agris Batalauskis, Director of the LPO, and Mr. Tobias Bednarz, Legal Counsellor at WIPO Copyright Law Division (Switzerland).
“The regional seminar for judges has already become a highly attended event and an integral part of the LPO’s activities. It is really gratifying that representatives of the justice sector have such a great interest in developments in the IP field. Considering rapid advances in various industries and their interrelations with the IP rights, it is essential to significantly strengthen the legal framework and raise awareness of these rights to ensure fair competition and protection of authors’ rights,” stresses LPO Director Agris Batalauskis.
At the seminar, Latvian judges will be given an overview of the recent case law of the General Court /Court of Justice of the European Union in trademarks and design cases. The event will also cover patent rights, including current activities of the Unified Patent Court, which began its work in 2023. Special attention will be paid to copyright issues taking into account an increasing impact of artificial intelligence on copyright. Traditionally, the actualities of Latvian, Lithuanian, and Polish courts will be highlighted. The seminar will close with a discussion on the regional outlook on the Baltic IP case law.
Ms. Dace Liberte, Chairperson of the Industrial Property Board of Appeal, emphasizes the importance of the annual event: “Such international seminars with the participation of high-level experts improve the knowledge and professionalism of experts in the field that will be put to use when deciding on IP cases. A significant benefit is the opportunity for seminar participants to share information and opinions, thus expanding their knowledge and horizons.”
In all 12 speakers from different countries, including Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands, Lithuania, and Poland, will contribute to the seminar programme. Among them will be internationally recognized experts such as Mr. Edger Brinkman, Judge at the Unified Patent Court and the Court of The Hague, Mr. Pēteris Zilgalvis, Judge at the General Court of the European Union, Mr. Christoph Bartos and Ms. Elisabeth Fink, Members of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal, Mr. Tobias Bednarz, Legal Counsellor at WIPO Copyright Law Division, and others.