European Capital of Culture 2027 brand trademark registered

On Thursday, 20 April, the Liepāja City Council received a patent certificate from the Patent Board confirming that the brand of Liepāja as the European Capital of Culture 2027 has been registered as a trademark. The registration of the Liepāja brand as a trademark grants its owner, or in this case the Liepāja City Municipality, exclusive rights to the trademark in the territory of Latvia.

Registration of a trade mark is aimed at securing an exclusive right to the trade mark, i.e. the right to prohibit other persons from using identical or confusingly similar signs in commercial activities with regard to identical or similar goods and services.

"I welcome the fact that not only entrepreneurs, but also other brand owners are becoming more and more aware of the value of a registered trademark and the need to protect it. Trademark registration not only provides legal protection, but also acts as a marketing tool that helps the owner to boost its visibility and reputation. Liepāja, the European Capital of Culture, with its visually appealing and easily recognisable trademark, is an excellent example for others," said Agris Batalauskis, Director of the Patent Board. The registration of the brand as a trademark means that the brand of Liepāja as the European Capital of Culture 2027 is protected from the moment of registration and can only be used by the Liepāja City Council. This implies that no other person may use the brand of the European Capital of Culture 2027 unless the City of Liepāja has given its consent. The ongoing process of registration of the foundation "Foundation Liepāja 207", when completed, will transfer the right to use the brand to the foundation.

The exclusive right to the trademark Liepāja 2027 shall come into force on the date of publication of the notice of registration of the trademark, i.e. from 20 April 2023. The registration shall be valid for 10 years and may be renewed every 10 years.

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