Friday, November 30, 2007 The Madrid System for the Int’l Registration of Marks By Clint Fabiosa & Andrew Ong I.Protect
THE Madrid Protocol was adopted on June 27, 1989 and is one of two treaties comprising the Madrid international system for international registration of trademarks.
The first treaty, the Madrid Agreement of 1891, provides for the registration of trademarks in several countries through the filing of one international trademark registration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (Wipo) in Geneva.
The Madrid Protocol is seen as an improvement on the system for the international registration of trademarks.
The Madrid Protocol is a filing treaty, which provides a cost-effective and efficient way to trademark holders to ensure protection of their marks in multiple countries through the filing of one application with a single office, in one language, with one set of fees, in one currency. No local agent is needed to file the protocol and applications may be filed in English, French or Spanish. With the new system, trademark owners may designate additional countries if they decide to seek additional protection in more member countries or if new countries accede to the protocol.
