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The Trade Marks and Designs Registration Office of the European Union
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Country Overview - Latvia & The Community Trade Mark
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Latvia joined the EU in 2004 and has a population of 2.3m. The country regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Situated on the Baltic coast, Latvia is low-lying with large forests that supply timber for construction and paper industries. Latvia also produces consumer goods, textiles and machine tools. Ethnically, the population is 59% Latvian and 29% Russian, and more than a third live in the capital Riga. Founded in 1201, Riga is the largest city in the three Baltic states with a population of 730 000. Latvia's geography and history mean it has become a popular tourism destination with visitors coming from all over the world.
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Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07, but entered a severe recession in 2008. The service sector accounts for an estimated 74% of Latvian GDP, followed by industry (23%) and agriculture (3%). Latvian undertakings have filed few CTMs to date, with demand only really starting to build up after EU entry in 2004. The total number of Latvian CTMs is now around 270, and they are coming in at a rate of 50-80 a year.
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| Word | Figurative | 3-D | Colour | Other | Sound |
| 49.26% | 37.78% | 0.74% | 11.85% | 0.37% | 0.00% |
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Word marks are the most popular with Latvian enterprises and account for 48% of applications, followed by figurative marks (38%). The most popular goods and services applied for are in classes 5, 35 and 3. |
The majority of Latvian trade marks (82%) are filed electronically, with fax accounting for 6% and mail around 11%.
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Top 10 Latvian-based owners by number of CTMs filed |
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| Company | CTMs |
| GRINDEKS, AKCIJU SABIEDRIBA | 110 |
| PROTEIN HAIR COATING FACTORY SIA | 7 |
| DIENA, A/S | 5 |
| GALATEJA SIA | 4 |
| TRASTA KOMERCBANKA, A/S | 4 |
| AIR BALTIC CORPORATION AS | 3 |
| BALTIC COAL TERMINAL, A/S | 3 |
| GRINDEKS, A/S | 3 |
| SIA "DRAUGIEM" | 3 |
| SIA VIDEO LEADER | 3 |
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Top 10 representatives by number of CTMs received from Latvian-based applicants |
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| Representative | CTMs |
| PUBULIS | 62 |
| AGENCY TRIA ROBIT | 17 |
| PETERSONA PATENTS | 8 |
| BUREAU M.F.J. BOCKSTAEL NV | 7 |
| FORAL SIA | 4 |
| VASILJEVS | 4 |
| AGENTURA INTELS | 3 |
| PATENT AGENCY KDK | 3 |
| ZERNE | 3 |
| ARNOLD AND PORTER UK LLP | 2 |