During two days of intensive talks and discussions in Riga, on 5 - 6 December, the intellectual property (IP) offices of the Baltic States discussed initiatives and jointly implemented activities to strengthen the IP system in the Baltic region as a whole and in each country separately.
“In the course of discussions, we have agreed that it is very important to continue to cooperate closely, since we are facing similar challenges both in terms of ensuring daily work processes at our offices and with regard to activities and obligations initiated by international organizations. We can advise each other on quite a number of issues, and it is clear that such meetings allow us not only to look at our own challenges from outside, but also to borrow good practices from our neighbours,” stated Director of the Latvian Patent Office (LPO) Agris Batalauskis.
A. Batalauskis noted: “ The issues discussed included improving user services and promoting their visibility and accessibility to make IP offices the first place to turn to in matters related to the registration of industrial property. When discussing the scope of consultations, all the three Baltic offices acknowledged that they are looking for the ways to make services more accessible and user-friendly, also by using new technological solutions and reducing costs for clients. One of the options is providing digital tools alongside face-to-face services. Although online services are relatively more popular, there are no plans to withdraw the provision of face-to-face services.”
One of the most pressing current issues for European IP offices is the introduction of a new registration system for geographical indications of craft and industrial products in the European Union by the end of 2025. The Baltic offices shared their experiences on the work they are carrying out, including regulatory framework and control, to get prepared for implementing this new system in their countries.
The offices also discussed their practices of working with small and medium-sized enterprises – the ways to approach companies and inform them about the services provided, including organizing seminars and consultations, cooperation with other institutions to reach companies and promote their understanding of industrial property registration. The representatives of all the three offices agreed that entrepreneurs still have insufficient knowledge about the advantages of industrial property protection
Raising IP awareness among the general public by working with specific target groups, including effective implementation of communication and educational activities, was also widely discussed. The LPO representatives informed their Lithuanian and Estonian colleagues about their annual activities, including an anti-counterfeiting campaign, etc.
The representatives of the trademark departments of the Baltic IP offices touched upon their practical approaches to work organization, current events, expected changes and improvements, while the issues of trademark examination were discussed in more detail.
In their turn, the colleagues from the patent departments discussed the issues of adapting their internal information systems and national patent databases to the introduction of the Unitary Patent, as well as the solutions adopted by each office in this regard. The views were exchanged concerning the European Commission's regulation proposals for the introduction of a unitary supplementary protection certificate, namely, which of the options proposed by the European Commission seemed most acceptable to the Baltic offices. Other topics included the practice and regulatory framework related to the examination of secret inventions and granting of the secrecy status as such.
The next annual meeting of the IP offices of the Baltic States will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania.