The Madrid Agreement and the Madrid Protocol are two international treaties that provide trademark owners with a cost-effective approach to protect their trademarks. The treaties provide a system for international registration of trademarks and protection of registered trademarks in multiple countries.
The Madrid Agreement was signed in 1891 and has been in force since 1892. It was revised in 1900, 1911, 1925, 1934, 1957, and 1967. The Madrid Protocol, on the other hand, was signed in 1989 and has been in force since 1996. It was designed to modernize and streamline the Madrid Agreement by simplifying the international registration process for trademarks.
As of 2021, there are 107 contracting parties to the Madrid Agreement or the Madrid Protocol. The contracting parties include countries, regions, and intergovernmental organizations. Here is a list of the contracting parties:
1. Albania
2. Algeria
3. Antigua and Barbuda
4. Armenia
5. Australia
6. Austria
7. Azerbaijan
8. Bahrain
9. Belarus
10. Belgium
11. Belize
12. Benelux
13. Bhutan
14. Bosnia and Herzegovina
15. Botswana
16. Brazil
17. Bulgaria
18. Cambodia
19. Canada
20. Chile
21. China
22. Colombia
23. Costa Rica
24. Croatia
25. Cuba
26. Cyprus
27. Czech Republic
28. Denmark
29. Dominican Republic
30. Ecuador
31. Egypt
32. El Salvador
33. Estonia
34. European Union
35. Finland
36. France
37. Gambia
38. Georgia
39. Germany
40. Ghana
41. Greece
42. Guatemala
43. Guinea
44. Honduras
45. Hungary
46. Iceland
47. India
48. Indonesia
49. Iran
50. Ireland
51. Israel
52. Italy
53. Japan
54. Jordan
55. Kazakhstan
56. Kenya
57. Kyrgyzstan
58. Laos
59. Latvia
60. Lebanon
61. Lesotho
62. Liberia
63. Libya
64. Liechtenstein
65. Lithuania
66. Luxembourg
67. Madagascar
68. Malaysia
69. Mali
70. Malta
71. Mauritania
72. Mauritius
73. Mexico
74. Moldova
75. Monaco
76. Mongolia
77. Montenegro
78. Morocco
79. Mozambique
80. Namibia
81. Netherlands
82. New Zealand
83. Nicaragua
84. Nigeria
85. North Korea
86. North Macedonia
87. Norway
88. Oman
89. Panama
90. Papua New Guinea
91. Paraguay
92. Peru
93. Philippines
94. Poland
95. Portugal
96. Qatar
97. Romania
98. Russia
99. Rwanda
100. Saint Kitts and Nevis
101. San Marino
102. Sao Tome and Principe
103. Saudi Arabia
104. Senegal
105. Serbia
106. Seychelles
107. Sierra Leone
Trademark owners can use the Madrid System to protect their trademarks in any of the contracting parties by filing a single application with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Once the application is filed, WIPO will forward it to the relevant national or regional trademark office for examination and registration. If the trademark is granted protection, it will be protected in all the countries designated in the application.
In conclusion, the Madrid Agreement and the Madrid Protocol provide a useful system for international trademark registration and protection. With 107 contracting parties, trademark owners can protect their trademarks in multiple countries with ease and efficiency.
