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Madrid Protocol

The Madrid Protocol went into effect in the United States on November 2, 2003. On November 2, 2003, U.S. trademark owners will be able to submit an international application to the USPTO to forward to the International Bureau in Geneva, Switzerland. Below is answers to frequently asked questions about the Madrid Protocol.

The Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (Madrid Protocol) is an international treaty that allows a trademark owner to seek registration in any of the countries that have joined the Madrid Protocol by filing a single application, called an "international application." The International Bureau of the World Property Intellectual Organization, in Geneva, Switzerland administers the international registration system.

As of November 2003, 61 countries including the U.S. have joined the Madrid Protocol. These countries are called "Contracting Parties." A current list of the Contracting Parties is available online at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) website: http://www.wipo.int/madrid/en.

Any trademark owner with an application filed in or a registration issued by the USPTO and who is a national of, has a domicile in, or has a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in the United States can submit an international application through the USPTO.