Latvian intellectual property strategy Reinis Bērziņš, Director, Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia

Effective Latvian intellectual property strategy Main document - Intellectual property protection guidelines 2008 – 2012 Several strategic focuses : o Promote educational and inventive activities o Foster public awareness of IP o Improve institutional cooperation o Prevent abuses of IP Latvian intellectual property strategy 2

Upcoming Latvian intellectual property strategy o Currently work on new guidelines for year o Had to be accepted by Cabinet of Ministers o Written by Ministry of Justice o Working group: LPO, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Culture, patent attorneys, police and customs office, NGO’s, universities etc. o Positive features: well structured; concrete tasks and timing o Negative features: goals should be reached without additional financial resources; guidelines is not integrated with the state’s economical vision + political unstability Latvian intellectual property strategy

4 Major challenges: Changing legal status of LPO Problem: LPO as a main state institution responsible for IP receives state annual assignments significantly less than it contributes to the state budget. Key initiatives taken: New IPL: LPO should become a self-financing state agency which finances itself from services LPO provides. New guidelines: LPO = IPO?

5 Latvian intellectual property strategy Major challenges: Changing legal status of BOA ProblemMost of members of Board of Appeals (BOA) work also in LPO & opposition cases are settled in administrative court Problem: Most of members of Board of Appeals (BOA) work also in LPO & opposition cases are settled in administrative court Key initiative taken: The new IPL: Members will work only in BOA & opposition cases are settled in civil court.

6 Latvian intellectual property strategy Major challenges: Increasing quality of e-services Problem: Growing demand on new e-services (such as online filing) vs backward in IT infrastructure Key initiatives: o Investing financial resources (in amount of 10% of LPO’s budget) in IT development in 2012 o Further cooperation with international partners (e.g. OHIM’s Cooperation fund) o New LPO’s web page to be launched at the 2 nd half of 2012 (with special section for IP)

7 Latvian intellectual property strategy Major challenges: Raising awareness of IP protection Problem: Lack of knowledge about IP issues in society Key initiatives taken: o Transformation of Patent technical library (PTL) o Participation in specific events (e.g. “Praise good service!”) o Regular seminars in different cities in Latvia & special occasions (conference on May) Upcoming initiatives in new guidelines: o Mandatory IP course for several programs of higher education o Collection of case law on IP

Thank you for attention! Latvian intellectual property strategy