One trademark filing that reaches 133 countries, through a system with 117 members

Background

The WIPO Madrid System is described as a convenient and cost-effective solution for registering and managing trademarks worldwide: an applicant files a single international trademark application and pays one set of fees to apply for protection in the 133 countries covered. A person can use the Madrid System if they are a national of, or have a domicile or business in, any of the 133 countries covered by the Madrid System's 117 members, and must also already have, or have applied for, a national or regional trademark registration in the IP Office of a Madrid System member. Fees include a basic fee of 653 Swiss francs, or 903 Swiss francs for a mark in color, with a 90% reduction for an application filed in the IP Office of a least-developed country, plus additional fees depending on where protection is sought and how many classes of goods and services are to be covered. The intellectual property office of each member where protection is sought decides whether it can grant protection under its own domestic laws. Coverage has territorial quirks: protection in Denmark includes Greenland and Faroe Islands, while protection in China does not include Hong Kong or Macao.