Intellectual Property Protection In Latvia

I. Rights To Be Protected

The intellectual property protection system of Latvia belongs to the Continental European law school by recognising the existence of moral rights that are considered to be unalienable moral rights according to the laws of Latvia.

In Latvia the copyrights are protected without the registration. Patent rights function according to the first to file principle well recognized in Europe. Protection of industrial designs is ensured by design patents. Plant variety protection is regulated by a separate law. In Latvia plant varieties are not protected on the basis of a patent, but instead they are registered with a special register of the Ministry of Agriculture for the Republic of Latvia. Databases are protected under the Copyright law. There is a special legislation with respect to unfair competition, and a special institution – Competition Council – has been established