Law on trademarks, service marks and places of origin of commodities (No. VIII-1981 of 2000). Country/Territory Lithuania Document type Legislation Date 2000 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Food & nutrition Keyword Traceability/product tracing Packaging/labelling Registration Food quality control/food safety Geographical area Europe, Europe and Central Asia, European Union Countries, Northern Europe Entry into force notes This Law, except for Article 55, enters into force on 1 January 2001. Abstract This Law establishes legal protection of trade marks, their registration and use in the Republic of Lithuania, also the administration of the Register of Trade Marks of the Republic of Lithuania (art. 1). “Trade mark” means any sign capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one person from those of other persons and capable of being represented graphically. For the purposes of this Law, a service mark shall also be treated as a trade mark. “Geographical indication” means a place name or other word or sign which directly or indirectly identify a good as originating in a certain territory, region or locality, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin. “Geographical origin” means a country, territory, region or locality according to which the true place of origin of a good or service may be identified (art. 2). This Law shall apply to every mark intended to identify goods and/or services, for which registration is sought in the application filed at the State Patent Bureau or which is registered in the manner prescribed by this Law, or which is subject to international registration of the mark, in effect in the Republic of Lithuania. This Law shall also apply to the marks recognised as well-known in the Republic of Lithuania (art. 3). Marks, with respect to which legal protection under this Law is applicable, may consist of signs, in particular: 1) words, personal surnames, names, artistic pseudonyms, names of firms, slogans; 2) letters, numerals; 3) drawings, emblems; 4) three-dimensional form (the shape of goods, their packaging or containers); 5) colours or combinations of colours, their compositions; 6) any combination of signs specified in subparagraphs 1-5 (art. 5). A mark may be recognised as well-known in the Republic of Lithuania if the results of its use or promotion reveal that it is well-known in the relevant sector of the public. A mark recognised as well-known in the Republic of Lithuania shall be protected even without registration thereof. A mark shall be recognised as well-known in the Republic of Lithuania according to judicial procedure (art. 9). An applicant who wishes to register a mark must file an application to the State Patent Bureau. One application shall be filed for the registration of one mark (art. 11). The State Patent Bureau shall issue a registration certificate to the proprietor of a registered mark or his representative, unless opposition has been filed in accordance with the established procedure. The form of the certificate of registration of a mark and the data recorded therein shall be established by the State Patent Bureau. Certificate of the registration of a mark is a legal document certifying the entry of the mark in the Register of Trade Marks of the Republic of Lithuania and the exclusive rights of the proprietor of the mark to the registered mark (art. 20). A mark shall be registered for a period of ten years from the date of filing of the application (art. 35). Following the expiry of the period specified in Article 35 of this Law, registration of a mark may be renewed in respect of all or only a part of goods and/or services each time for not longer than ten years (art. 36). A registered mark shall be valid in the Republic of Lithuania only in respect of the goods and/or services specified in the certificate of registration of the mark (art. 37). The Law consists of 11 Sections composed of 56 articles. Full text English Website www3.lrs.lt