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[null,"Prepared By:","Contributors:"]
[null,"Ellex Klavins","Martins Gailis"]
[]
[]
[]
["Trademarks"]
[]
["Report Generated: 5/2/2025"]
[]
["View your report results on next tab"]

{"sheet":"Trademarks","index":1,"n_rows":26,"n_cols":2,"rows_kept":26,"cut":false,"hidden":false,"merged":[]}
["Question","Latvia"]
["General"]
["What is the system for trademark protection in your country?"," The system for trademark protection in Latvia includes: \n\n \n\t Registration (coexisting rights) \n\t Common law (coexisting rights) \n \n"]
["To which international treaties does your country belong?"," Latvia belongs to the following international treaties:  \n\n \n\t Paris Convention  \n\t Madrid Agreement \n\t Madrid Protocol \n\t Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks \n\t Trademark Law Treaty (\" TLT \") \n\t Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks \n \n"]
["Registration System"]
["What are the benefits of registering a trademark in your country?"," The benefits of registering a trademark in Latvia include:  \n\n \n\t Entitles the proprietor to bring an infringement action \n\t Others: Registration is the primary form of protection of trademark rights. Only non-registered well-known trademarks can be relied upon to bring an infringement action. \n\t  \n \n"]
["Is it possible to obtain registration for the following types of marks under the registration system in your country?","Service marksYes\nDefensive marksNo\nCollective marksYes. Collective mark can be registered by an organization of producers or service providers for the purpose of identifying the goods or services of its members from those of other market participants as to the level of quality, accuracy, geographical origin or other characteristics set by the organization. To register a collective mark, the organization must inter alia submit to the \nIPO Rules of Use.\nCertification marksYes. A certification mark is defined as a sign that is used to designate goods/services which have been certified by the owner of the mark in relation to the type, quality, accuracy or other characteristics of materials, production type of goods or the provision of services, and which enable to the relevant goods/services to be distinguished from non-certified goods/services. To register a certification mark, the owner must inter alia submit to the \nIPO Rules of Use for the certification mark. A certification mark can only be registered by an entity that does not use the certification mark itself for the relevant goods or services certified (duty of neutrality).\nWell-known marksYes. Well-known marks are protected without registration and entitle the owner to bring an infringement action for any commercial use of an identical or confusingly similar sign for same or similar goods or services, or indeed in relation to non-similar goods or services, insofar the relevant public might consider that the products or services are those of the owner of the well-known mark. In order to rely on the protection of a well-known mark, the owner must be able to prove that the mark is well-known in the relevant part of the public in Latvia.\nSeries marksNo\nMarks in a different language or characters other than Roman charactersYes, Latvian IPO registers marks that contain Latin or Cyrillic letters, and Roman or Arabic numbers.\nNon-traditional marks: Sound marksYes. Sound marks are represented in an application form either via an audio file containing the sound recording and/or as a precise sequence of written notes (score).\nNon-traditional marks: Smell marksNo\nNon-traditional marks: Position marksYes. In the Application form, the Position mark must be reproduced in such a way that the position of the sign and its dimensions or proportions in relation to the product in question can be clearly perceived. Elements not subject to registration shall be visually excluded from protection, preferably by dashed or dotted lines. The representation may be accompanied by a description of how the sign is placed or affixed to the product.\nNon-traditional marks: Color marks (i.e. registration of a single color or a combination of colors, e.g. Cadbury's purple color)Yes. Color marks can be registered as a single color or a combination of colors (but without contours). In the application form, the color mark must be represented as the reproduction of the color, accompanied by an indication of the specific color based on the generally accepted color code.\nNon-traditional marks: Shape or three-dimensional marksYes. A shape or 3D mark is a mark that consists of a 3D shape. It can include containers, packaging, the product itself or its appearance. In the application form, it must be represented by a graphic reproduction, or a photographic reproduction or a computer-generated representation. The reproduction must give a clear idea of the 3D form of the sign and, if necessary, may include a maximum of six different angles.\nOtherIt is possible to register also ornament marks, motion marks, multimedia marks and hologram marks.\n"]
["Trademark Filing"]
["What are the documents and information required for filing a trademark application in your country?"," Documents and information required to file a trademark application in Latvia include: \n\n \n\t Name and address of the applicant \n\t Representation of the trademark \n\t Goods and services and the class(es) for which the trademark is to be registered \n\t Other: Applications for Collective marks and Certification marks must also contain the Rules of Use for such marks. \n \n"]
["Are multi-class applications permitted in your country?","Yes, multi-class applications are permitted in Latvia. There is no maximum number of classes for any single trademark application. \n"]
["Trademark Examination"]
["Is there substantive examination of trademarks?"," Yes, there are substantive examinations of trademarks in Latvia on the following grounds: \n\n \n\t Substantive grounds  \n\t Other: The Latvian IPO also examines if the applied mark might be similar to a well-known trademark in Latvia (either registered or non-registered). \n \n"]
["What are the absolute grounds for refusal?"," Absolute grounds for refusal of a trademark in Latvia include:  \n\n \n\t Mark has direct reference to the character or quality of the goods or services \n\t Mark is not distinctive \n\t Mark consists of a geographical name \n\t Other: Mark contrary to public policy or acceptable principles of morality; deceptive marks; marks in conflict with flags and other symbols, traditional terms for wines, earlier plant variety denominations, etc. \n \n"]
["What are the relative grounds for refusal?"," Relative grounds for refusal of a trademark in Latvia include: \n\n \n\t There is a prior application for registration or registration for an identical or confusingly similar mark in relation to the same goods or services as the subject mark \n\t There is a prior application for registration or registration for an identical or confusingly similar mark in relation to similar goods or services (although in a different class) as the subject mark  \n\t Well known mark: There is a well know mark that is identical or so nearly resembling the subject mark for the same goods or services as the subject mark  \n\t Well known mark: There is an earlier registered mark which is well known for different goods or services and use of the subject mark would indicate a connection between goods or services covered by the subject mark with the proprietor of the well-known mark \n\t Other relative grounds for refusal include marks with a reputation within the EU; and other earlier rights, including rights of a well-known person to his/her name/surname/pseudonym; copyrights; earlier design rights; etc. \n \n"]
["Timeline"]
["What is the time period from application to registration for a straightforward trademark application in your country?","The time period from application to registration in Latvia is between 6-12 months.\n"]
["Renewal (Maintenance of trademark registration)"]
["Is late renewal of a trademark registration permissible in your country?","Yes, late renewal of a trademark is permissible in Latvia. This is only permissible up to six months after the expiry of the registration, subject to payment of an additional fee.\n"]
["Use Requirement"]
["Does evidence of use need to be submitted to the trademark office at any time in order to maintain an application for registration or a registration of a trademark in your country?","No, evidence of use does not need to be submitted to the trademark office in order to maintain an application for registration or registration of a trademark in Latvia. \n"]
["Licensing"]
["Are trademark licensees required to record themselves with the Registrar?","No, trademark licensees are not required to record themselves with the Registrar in Latvia. \n"]
["Enforcement"]
["What are the available enforcement methods in your country?"," Available enforcement methods in Latvia include:  \n\n \n\t Civil enforcement\n\t \n\t\t Infringement action  \n\t\t Passing off \n\t \n\t \n\t Criminal enforcement \n\t Administrative enforcement \n\t Border or other administrative enforcement measures  \n \n"]
["Peculiarities"]
["Are there any peculiarities not mentioned above in the system of protection for trademarks in your country of which it is important for clients to be aware?","None identified. \n"]