In 2007, Latvia’s Patent Law was updated to reflect EU Directives. The new law now permits foreign patent applications to be submitted in Latvia in accordance with EU rules. In addition, the author is given moral rights under the Patent Law, which entitle him to acknowledgment as the patent’s inventor and the right to renounce ownership of the patent.
Another intellectual property law in Latvia is the law on scientific activity, which was enacted in 2005 and accorded intellectual property rights to authors who produce scientific works unless the author contractually waives those rights.
Filing requirements
A request to award a patent must be submitted to the Latvian Patent Office along with information about the applicant(s) in Latvian and documents that convey the description of an invention in any language to secure a filing date.
Novelty grace period
If the invention’s information was made public within six months of the filing date due to fraud against the applicant or if the applicant’s idea was displayed at a recognized international exhibition, this does not negate the invention’s uniqueness.
Validity term
In Latvia, a patent validates for 20 years following the filing date. However, you can ask to extend this period for an extra 5 years for agricultural and pharmaceutical patents. A Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) will be given if a patent is extended.
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