Last year showed some slight change in industrial property (IP) registration activity with a lower number of applications for certain IP rights as compared to 2023. At the same time, there are also some positive trends observed highlighting general awareness of IP protection.
Registration of trademarks and designs
In 2024, the Latvian Patent Office (LPO) received 1,185 national trademark applications and registered 971 Latvian trademarks, which is slightly less than in 2023, when 994 trademarks were registered. 734 international trademark applications were received and 712 international trademarks registered accordingly.
Last year, 30 industrial design applications containing 52 designs were received, which is a decrease compared to 2023, when 38 applications containing 64 designs were submitted to the LPO. In total, 27 registrations covering 46 designs were made in 2024, which is more than in 2023, when 29 design registration certificates were issued for 40 designs. Under the international design registration system (the Hague Agreement), 38 designs in 18 applications were designated to Latvia.
Patents and supplementary protection certificates
In 2024, the LPO received 87 national patent applications, which is less than in 2023, when 143 applications were submitted. The activity of universities and scientific institutions in applying for patents declined dramatically - from 75 applications in 2023 to 28 applications in 2024.
A total of 77 Latvian patents were granted in 2024 (compared to 105 patents in the previous year), 73 of them - to inventors from Latvia. Of the total amount of national patents, 48 were granted to universities and scientific institutions, 14 - to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and 9 - to individuals.
In 2024, Riga Technical University was granted the highest number of patents – 23; 8 patents were granted to the University of Latvia; the Institute of Solid State Physics of the University of Latvia and the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis were each granted 4 patents.
In 2024, the LPO received 819 requests to validate European patents in Latvia (compared to 849 requests in 2023), while 773 European patents became effective in Latvia.
Latvian patent applicants are actively using the benefits of the new Unitary Patent system. The level of use of the Unitary Patent by Latvian applicants exceeds 90%, which is significantly higher compared to the average level of use in EU countries, which is approx. 30%. The Unitary Patent system was launched on 1 June 2023, and already in the first year of its operation, Latvian applicants registered 6 European patents with unitary effect, followed by 13 unitary patents in 2024.
42 applications for supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) were filed in 2024 (26 applications in 2023), and 25 SPCs were granted.
In 2024, under the project on provision of free patent searches to Latvian patent applicants implemented by the LPO in cooperation with the European Patent Office (EPO), 45 patent search requests were received. 35 patent applications were sent to the EPO for conducting patent searches, while search reports and written opinions were provided for 37 patent applications.
Patents in force in Latvia at the end of 2024:
- 442 Latvian patents,
- 10,051 European patents,
- 45,086 European patents with unitary effect.
Industrial Property Board of Appeal figures in 2024
In 2024, the Industrial Property Board of Appeal (Board of Appeal) received two appeals. One of them was against a decision of the LPO to refuse trademark registration, and the other was against a decision to refuse the renewal of a European patent in Latvia. A total of 46 oppositions – all of them against trademark registrations - were received, including 33 oppositions by European Union trademark (EUTM) owners. In 2024, 2.7% of trademark registrations were opposed (2.6% in the previous year). 11 applications were received for the revocation of trademark registrations and 5 applications - for the invalidation of trademark registrations (4 of them filed by EUTM owners).
In 2024, 33 oppositions to trademark registrations were examined on the merits. 24 oppositions were fully satisfied, 4 – partially satisfied, and 5 – refused. 26 opposition proceedings were completed in 2024, and a settlement was approved in 2 opposition cases. 5 appeals were reviewed against the LPO’s decisions to refuse a trademark registration and one appeal against the LPO's decision to refuse the renewal of a European patent in Latvia. All of the appeals were refused. One revocation application was satisfied, which resulted in the cancellation of a trademark registration due to non-use. On examination of 2 applications for trademark invalidation, the one was satisfied in full, and the other was partially satisfied. 5 revocation proceedings were closed.
In 2024, the Board of Appeal prepared 42 decisions in cases examined on the merits.
Raising awareness of IP protection
One of the LPO's functions is to raise public awareness of the importance of registering and protecting IP.
In 2024, the LPO implemented and participated in more than 70 activities, including lectures, discussions, seminars, exhibitions, and forums.
The LPO’s annual awareness raising activities include an anti-counterfeiting campaign, educational events for schoolchildren and higher education students, seminars for entrepreneurs and representatives of the creative industries. The LPO also provides consultations at national and international exhibitions gathering creators of IP.