New regulation on indications of geographical origin come into force in Latvia
As of 9 September 2020 the Cabinet Regulation No. 556 “Procedures for the Registration, Protection, Supervision and Control of Geographical Indications, Designations of Origin and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed of Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs” (hereafter – “Regulation No. 556”) have entered into force in Latvia, which supersede the Cabinet Regulation No. 767 of 22 December 2015.
The aim of Regulation No. 556 is to harmonise the procedures for registration, protection and supervision of geographical indications of agricultural products and foodstuffs stipulated under Latvian laws in accordance with those legal acts which have supplemented the European Union legislation while Cabinet Regulation No. 767 was in force.
This requirement stems from the new Latvian Trademark Law which entered into force on 6 March 2020 and assigned the Cabinet of Ministers a term until the end of 2020 to issue new regulation that contains references to recent European Union regulations.
It is important to note, however, that Regulation No. 556 does not impose stricter requirements than those contained in European Union regulations which form the basis for harmonising the local regulatory acts. Moreover, Regulation No. 556 essentially preserves the requirements and procedures that were in force in Latvia until now.
