TRADEMARKS REGISTRATION

There are two main systems for protecting intellectual property rights in an international format.

These are WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) and EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office). WIPO allows you to submit one application to apply for protection in all participating countries (at the moment these are 106 countries), and not only in the EU countries. A special condition is the fact that in order to file a WIPO application, a trademark must first be protected in one of the countries that are parties to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (1891) and the Protocol to this Agreement.

In other words, you must obtain trademark protection (or, under certain conditions, file an application) with your national office, and then you can apply for protection in one of the countries participating in the agreement.

Instead of filing multiple national applications in all targeting countries in several different languages, using different national procedural rules and regulations, and paying several (and often higher) fees, an international registration can be obtained by simply filing one application with the International Bureau (through the national office of the country) in one language (English, French or Spanish) and with the payment of only one set of fees. The same benefits applicable for maintaining and renewing your registration. Likewise, if the right to an international registration is transferred to a third party or is amended in any other way e.g. by changing applicant name and / or address, this can be fixed by means of a single procedural act for all designated Contracting Parties.

At the same time, the refusal to provide protection to one of the countries participating in the Madrid system does not in any way affect the decision of other countries (with the exception of the choice of the "EU" formation as a single subject - in this case, nuances are possible).

Another advantage is that target protection countries can be expanded at any time, if necessary.

The second option is registration with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and filing applications for registration of graphic or text trademarks, which will be valid throughout the EU. In the case of using the Fast Track procedure, registration of the trademark will take about 8 months.