Madrid Agreement

The nationals of any of the contracting countries may, in all the other countries party to the Madrid Agreement, secure protection of their trade and/or service marks registered in the country of origin, by registering the said marks at the International Bureau through the intermediary of the national office of the said country of origin.

The documents and other requirements are as follows:

• Two copies of the application on the prescribed form both dated and signed by the national office of the country of origin.
• The particulars of the applicant.
• Information about the contracting country in which the applicant has a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment, the contracting country in which the applicant has his residence, or the contracting country of which the applicant is a national.
• The dates and numbers of the applications and of the registrations of the mark in force in the country of origin.
• Prints of the mark (not to exceed 8 X 8 cms. and not less than 1.5 cm X 1.5 cm).
• A list of the goods and/or services.
• The country in which protection is required.
• The period of validity, i.e. either 20 years or 10 years.

The following 37 States were parties to the Agreement on April 1, 1991:

Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, P. R. of China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Korea (North), Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, San Marino, Soviet Union, Spain, Sudan, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yugoslavia.

Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and the Sudan are the only Arab countries taking part in this agreement.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.