Country Profile: Lithuania

Laws

Constitution / Basic Law

• Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania (2004)

Main IP Laws (enacted by the Legislature)

• Law on Copyright and Related Rights No VIII-1185 of May 18, 1999 (as amended on 19 January 2010 – by Law No XI-656) (2010)
• Law on Designs No. IX-1181 of November 7, 2002 (as amended on July 1, 2008 - by Law No. X-1659) (2008)
• Patent Law 18 January 1994, No. I-372 (As last amended on 10 May 2007 – by Law No. X-1119) (2007)
• Law on the Protection of Plant Varieties, No. IX–618 of November 22, 2001 (As last amended on October 19, 2006 - by Law No X-862) (2006)
• Law on the Legal Protection of Topographies of Semiconductor Products No. VIII-791 of June 16, 1998 (as amended on 8 June 2006 – by Law No. X-652) (2006)
• Law on Trademarks No. VIII-1981 of October 10, 2000 (as amended on 8 June 2006 – by Law No. X-651) (2006)
• Law on the Principles of State Protection of Ethnic Culture No. VIII-1328 of September 21, 1999 (as amended on January 9, 2006 - by Law No. X-484) (2006)

IP-related Laws (enacted by the Legislature)

• Criminal Procedure Code, of March 14, 2002, Law No. IX-785 (Last amended on December 23, 2010, by Law No XI-1264) (2010)
• Civil Procedure Code, of February 28, 2002, Law No. IX-743 (Last amended on September 23, 2010, by Law No XI-1032) (2010)
• Civil Code Of the Republic of Lithuania, of July 18, 2000, Law No VIII-1864 (Last amended on 2 July 2010, No XI-993) (2010)
• Law No. VIII-1968 of September 26, 2000 approving the Criminal Code (as modified on July 02, 2010) (2010)
• Code of Administrative Infringements of December 13,1984 (2010)
• Law on Advertising No. VIII-1871, of July 18, 2000 (as amended on June 22, 2010 – by Law No. XI-923) (2010)
• Law on Competition No. VIII-1099, of March 23, 1999 (As last amended on 24 September 2009 – No XI-434) (2009)
• Law on Electronic Communications of April 15, 2004 No. IX-2135 (Last amended on November 14, 2008, by Law No X-1835) (2008)
• Law on Legal Protection of Personal Data of June 11, 1996 No. I-1374 (new version of February 1, 2008, Law No. X-1444) (2008)
• Law No. IX-352 of June 5, 2001, on Fees for the Registration of Industrial Property Objects (as modified by Law No. X-1120 of May 10, 2007) (2007)
• Customs Law No. IX-2183 of April 27, 2004 (Document updated April 3, 2007) (2007)

Implementing Rules/Regulations

• Order No 3R-51 of August 29, 2009 on the Approval of Form of Documents issued by the State Patent Bureau (2010)
• Order No. 3R-50 of August 18, 2009 amending Order No 3R-132 of December 1, 2005 of the Director of the State Patent Bureau on the Approval of Rules Concerning Examination of Oppositions and Appeals (2009)
• Regulation No. 499 of December 20, 2002 on the Protection of Geographical Indications and Designations of Origin for Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs (2009)
• Regulation No. 3R-72 of September 25, 2008, on the implementation of the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement for the International Registration of Industrial Designs (2008)
• Regulation No. 1106 of August 29, 2003, on Conditions of Distribution of Payment for Reproduction of Audiovisual Works or Works Recorded in a Phonograph for Personal Use (2007)
• Regulations No. 182 of February 6, 2002 on Conditions of Distribution of Payment for Public Lending of Books and Other Publications (2007)
• Order No 3R-29 of April 24, 2006 Concerning the Approval of the Procedure for the Filing of European Patent Applications and for the Effects of European Patents in the Republic of Lithuania (2006)
• Order No. 362 of 20 May 1992 Patent Attorneys Regulations (Edition of Order of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania No. 539, of May 3, 2004) (2004)
• Rules No. 3R-37 of April 30, 2004 on Registration of Trademarks (2004)
• Resolution No. 1018 of August 12, 2003, on the Protection of Moral Rights of Authors and Performers (2003)
• Resolution No. 181 of February 6,2002 on Conditions of Distribution of Payment for Reprographic Reproduction of Works (2002)
• Order No. 118 of December 27, 2001 on the Grant of Supplementary Protection Certificates (2001)
• Order No. 123 of December 29, 2000 of the State Patent Bureau for the Implementation of the Law of Trademarks No. VIII-1981 (2000)
• Regulation No. 36 of March 10, 1999 on the Registration of Topographies of Semiconductor Products (1999)
• Rules No IR/01/98 of December 2,1998 on the Submission, Expertise of Patent Applications and Issuance of Patent (1998)

Treaty Membership

WIPO-Administered Treaties (Entry into force of treaty for contracting party)

• Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks
• Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs (September 26, 2008)
• WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (May 20, 2002)
• WIPO Copyright Treaty (March 6, 2002)
• Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms (January 27, 2000)
• Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations (July 22, 1999)
• Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Micro-organisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure (May 9, 1998)
• Trademark Law Treaty (April 27, 1998)
• Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (November 15, 1997)
• Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (February 22, 1997)
• Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (December 14, 1994)
• Patent Cooperation Treaty (July 5, 1994)
• Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (May 22, 1994)
• Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization (April 30, 1992)

IP-related Multilateral Treaties (Entry into force of treaty for contracting party)

• Convention and Statute on Freedom of Transit
• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (September 17, 2010)
• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (September 17, 2010)
• Kiev Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (October 8, 2009)
• Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (January 2, 2009)
• Protocol (III) additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the adoption of an additional distinctive emblem (May 28, 2008)
• Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2005 (March 18, 2007)
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (March 5, 2007)
• International Plant Protection Convention (October 2, 2005)
• International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (September 19, 2005)
• London Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (August 4, 2005)
• WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (March 16, 2005)
• Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (February 16, 2005)
• Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (March 9, 2004)
• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity (February 5, 2004)
• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (December 12, 2003)
• International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) (December 10, 2003)
• Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (April 28, 2002)
• Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO) (May 31, 2001)
• World Trade Organization (WTO) - Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) (1994) (May 31, 2001)
• Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts. (January 13, 2001)
• Protocol (II) Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts. (January 13, 2001)
• Helsinki Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (July 27, 2000)
• Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons (May 7, 2000)
• Protocol to the Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific or Cultural Materials (February 21, 1999)
• Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (October 27, 1998)
• Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (October 27, 1998)
• Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials (August 21, 1998)
• Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field. (April 3, 1997)
• Convention (II) for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea. (April 3, 1997)
• Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. (April 3, 1997)
• Convention on Biological Diversity (May 1, 1996)
• International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods (March 7, 1996)
• United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (February 1, 1996)
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (June 22, 1995)
• Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (June 30, 1992)
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (February 20, 1992)

IP Regional Treaties (Entry into force of treaty for contracting party)

• Convention on the Grant of European Patents (EPO) (December 1, 2004)