Worldwide Trade Mark Factsheet

Background

One way of trying to monopolise your trade mark for particular goods or services worldwide is through the "Madrid” system.  An application through the "Madrid” system is a means of filing to acquire rights in more than one country with a single application to the World Intellectual Property Office (“WIPO”) in Geneva (rather than by separate applications in each territory).

The “Madrid” system covers most worldwide territories and offers a simplified method of extending your brand globally at a fraction of the cost of filing individual applications to national registries.

In addition, for those territories not part of the “Madrid” system, we can file national applications.

Benefits

In addition to the benefits of registering a trade mark, using the Madrid system provides:

·         A streamlined method of filing to try to secure exclusive monopoly rights over your mark throughout the world.

·         Protection of your mark on a global level at a fraction of the cost of multiple national filings.

Requirements for filing

To be eligible to file a “Madrid” application, you need first to have made a “home” base application or own a registration in a “Madrid” territory on which to base the “Madrid” application. Many of our clients create that “home” base with a UK or Community Trade Mark (CTM) application before making a subsequent “Madrid” application.

Costs

We can take care of the registration process from start to finish.

Stage 1 – Filing

1. To file a Madrid application in up to 3 classes we charge a fixed fee of £585 (UK sterling).

2. For each additional class we charge a fixed fee of £105 (UK sterling). 

3. In addition, the official filing fees are payable to WIPO. The exact cost will depend on the number of countries included in the application.

Stage 2 – Prosecution

After filing your application, we charge on a time and materials basis for work we undertake through to the registration of the mark in the multiple individual countries.

Our charges will depend on the number of countries included in the application, how straightforward the application is, and the extent to which it receives objections from the relevant intellectual property office or oppositions from third parties.

Note that the above costs exclude VAT (chargeable in addition if we are instructed from within the UK). 

Countries available

The following countries available to be included in making an application through the “Madrid” system:

Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzogovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Estonia, European Community, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Republic of Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia (83).

If you tell us in which of the above countries you are interested, we can provide you with a more detailed estimate of the costs involved in filing and prosecuting your “Madrid” application through to registration.

If you are interested in registering your mark in any country not listed above, let us know and we will send you costings for filing and prosecuting your application to register your mark in that territory.