International Trademark Registration

An enterprise may apply for international registration of trademark from the State Trademark Office other than application to each country through its agents. The international registration of trademark is made through the State Trademark Office on basis of the registration system established between the members of the Madrid Union in accordance with Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks on April 14, 1891 and its Regulations, and is extended to each contracting country through the International Bureau.

Advantages of International Registration of Trademark

• Filing an application form for international registration of trademark may register trademark for merchandises under one or more classes and in various contracting countries specified therein.
• The application form is written in French and translation into the language of each country where the protection of trademark specified to be sought is not necessary
• A unified fee is paid in Swiss Franc and payments to each country of the members where the protection of trademark specified to be sought is not necessary. The International fee is lower than the sum of the registration fees incurred when the registration is made to each country respectively.
• International registration of trademark may be completed within one year from the day on which the application is filed. If no dismissal is received from the competent trademark authority of a country where the protection of trademark is specified to be sought by an applicant, the trademark will be protected under the law of that country.

Conditions of International Registration of trademark

• Having a real and valid industrial and commercial license in a contracting country
• Having a domicile in a contracting country
• Having a nationality of a contracting country
• The trademark shall have been registered with a contracting country or announced after the preliminary approval , the contents of which shall be in consistent with the trademark registered earlier by the applicant, and the merchandises specified for use shall not fall beyond the scope it is originally registered.

Information Required for International Registration of trademark

• Name and address of the applicant
• Photocopies of each of the preliminary approval announcement and the application documentary proof issued by the relevant authorities
• Graphic design of the trademark
• Countries specified for protection
• Where a trademark or any part of it is made up by non-Latin letters, non-Arabic numbers or non-Roman numbers, a transliteration which is in consistent with the pronunciation of the language applied for international application with its translation shall be provided.

Process of International Registration of trademark:

Applicants shall file applications with the State Trademark Office, which will submit the applications to the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. Any application filed directly by an individual enterprise will not be accepted by the International Bureau.

Information Required for Registration of trademark

• Name and address of the applicant
• Photocopies of the business license or personal identity card of the applicant
• Graphic design of the trademark (in electronic file)
• Designated goods or services of the trademark

Application Fees of International Registration of trademark

Fees charged by the International Bureau:the basic fee, the surcharge (if necessary), the additional charge and other fees payable when applying for international registration of trademark.
Handling fees charged by the local trademark office:it is an required fee payable by the applicants to the Trademark Office.
Trademark agency fees and handling fees charged by the Trademark Office:fees other than the application fees.

Trademark Renewal:

The international registration of trademark will be valid for ten years. The International Bureau will, by giving an informal notice, notify the trademark registrant for the renewal, including the date of expiration of the registration, within six months before it is expired. Another six months of grace period will be granted to the registrant if he fails to apply for renewal before the registration is expired. The International Bureau will cancel the international registration of trademark if no application for renewal is received during such grace period.

List of Members of the Madrid Union

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