Basic Introduction

Registration of trademarks in multiple jurisdictions around the world takes place under the Treaty known as The Madrid Protocol – an international system for obtaining trade mark protection for a number of countries and/or regions using a single application. Madrid protocol permits the filing, registration and maintenance of trade mark rights in more than one jurisdiction on a global basis.

Currently there are more than 85 countries that have become members of the Madrid Protocol. Singapore joined the Madrid Protocol in 2000. The Madrid Protocol is administered by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Key Features

(1) The cost will almost certainly be less than applying separately for registration for each member country and/or region.

(2) Protection for some countries/regions may be obtained more quickly than by using the national route. This is because strict time limits are set under the Protocol.

(3) Recordal of changes of name and assignments etc and, for some countries/regions, licenses are carried out centrally via the International Bureau. There is thus a cost saving compared with having to record such changes separately in each member country/region.

(4) An International Registration can replace a corresponding national/regional registration without any loss of rights.

(5) It is usually possible to add extra countries/regions later, though these will not have the same date.

Additional Information

(1) Applicant: applications for international registration of a trademark may be filed only by natural persons or legal entities within a country that is party to the Madrid Protocol.

(2) A list of the goods and services for which protection is sought, classified in accordance with the International Classification of Goods and Services (called Nice Classification).

(3) An international trademark registration is valid for 10 years.

(4) An international application is treated much in the same manner as each domestic application, and is therefore published in the Trade Marks Journal for opposition purposes before protection is granted.

Application procedures

Service Coverage

(1) Europe: Austria, Belgium, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, SLemon Accountancyden

(2) Africa: South Africa, Egypt

(3) America: USA, Canada

(4) Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

(5) Asia: China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, India