The Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia (LPO) in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the European Patent Academy and the Latvian Judicial Training Center (LTMC), from September 11-12, 2018, for the third year, organized a training seminar for Latvian judicial staff. The aim of the seminar was to support the continuing education of judicial system employees on intellectual property issues.
At the opening of the seminar, LPO Director Sandris Laganovskis emphasized: “We are pleased that, as part of international cooperation, we have succeeded in developing a sustainable training model for judges that enables them to systematically develop their professional knowledge and skills for working with intellectual property cases.”
At the beginning of the seminar, Mrs. Elisabeth Fink, a representative from the EUIPO Boards of Appeal gave a report on the new design law reform and shared with the practice of Boards of Appeal and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). Chairperson of the Industrial Property Board of Appeal Mrs. Dace Liberte introduced the audience with Latvian practice in design dispute cases.
The WIPO representative Mr. Thomas Dillon gave a presentation on the judicial principles related to copyright, copyright infringements and compensation for damages. Dr.iur. Rihards Gulbis, an advisor to the Supreme Court’s Civil Justice Department, talked about liability of Internet intermediaries for the copyright infringements. At the end of the first day of the seminar, Harju County Court judge Mrs. Anu Uritam shared with the Estonian case law practice in intellectual property cases.
On the second day of the seminar, Prof. Dr. Alexander von Mühlendahl, from the BARDEHLE PAGENBERG Partnerschaft mbB, provided a review of the recent CJEU and General Court case law and Dr. iur. Zane Pētersone, from the Supreme Court of Latvia, analysed the distinctive character of a trademark. Mrs. Māra Rozenblate, an expert from the LPO, gave a presentation on the patenting procedure and most important steps during litigation. Mr. Enrique Molina Galán from the European Patent Office gave a review of novelty and inventive step assessment criteria and further patentability requirements in the EPC, as well as talked about the regulatory considerations with respect to Biotech Directive.
This two-day seminar, attended by various judges from Latvian courts, offered them to gain more insight into the intellectual property rights protection issues, and they welcomed the possibility to learn from some of the best experts in the field.
Information prepared by:
Santa Siliņa
Senior officer
Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia
Phone: 67220113
e-mail: santa.silina@lrpv.gov.lv