Regional seminar for judges held in Latvia

On 3-4 September, the Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia, in collaboration with the European Patent Office (EPO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), hosted a regional seminar for judges. The seminar brought together legal experts from across the Baltics and Europe to discuss current issues in intellectual property rights. 

EPO President António Campinos opened the event with a video message to underline the importance of the judiciary in navigating new challenges arising in rapidly evolving technological and legal landscapes. He paid tribute to the early success of the Unitary Patent system, particularly its positive impact on SMEs and the innovation hub in the Baltic states, noting the remarkable uptake rate in Latvia. He also stressed the importance of the regional division of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), highlighting Latvia's role in its establishment and how the UPC benefits businesses and applicants across the region.  

“The judiciary has a crucial role to play in this system. The legal certainty that the UPC can provide relies upon the highest quality of judges and legal professionals, and their expert application of the law across all courts in the system”, said the EPO President. He then elaborated on how the EPO has been working closely with the UPC to provide comprehensive training materials to judges.

Fostering a collaborative and informed legal community

Agris Batalauskis, Director of the Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia, also emphasised the importance of training: "As the IP system continues to evolve, our international co-operation is key to providing a successful and sustainable training format for judges. This will in turn further strengthen the legal protection that the IP system offers.” 

The seminar was also supported by Edger Brinkman, a senior judge at the Court of the Hague and the Unified Patent Court in the Netherlands. Such events are key to the EPO’s engagement with the judiciary and legal experts. By fostering a collaborative and informed legal community, we will be better able to navigate the complexities of intellectual property law in a rapidly changing technological world.