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13 August 2015Trademarks

Algeria becomes 95th signatory to Madrid Protocol

Algeria has become the 95th country to join the Madrid Protocol, 43 years after acceding to the Madrid Agreement.

The country deposited its instrument of accession on July 31 alongside Francis Gurry, director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The protocol will take effect in Algeria on October 31.

It means trademark applicants will be able to file a single application at the Algerian National Institute of Industrial Property for protection inside one or more of the 95 participating countries.

In a statement on its website, published on August 7, WIPO said Algeria’s accession “represents a milestone for the Madrid System and its users”.

“From now on, all international registrations of marks will be exclusively governed by the Madrid Protocol. As a result, the filing and management of international registrations will be simplified.

“Brand owners in Algeria will also benefit from this accession, gaining full access to the territories covered by the Madrid Protocol for international trademark protection,” WIPO added.

Until last week’s announcement Algeria had been the only country within the Madrid System that was just signed up to the Madrid Agreement but not the protocol. Algeria joined the Madrid Agreement in 1972.

The Madrid Protocol was adopted by WIPO in 1989.

Algeria follows the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), Cambodia and Zimbabwe in joining the Madrid Protocol. The Madrid Protocol went into force in all three jurisdictions earlier this year.

OAPI’s accession, however, has proven controversial. In May, the organisation stood by its decision to suspend lawyers who opposed the way that the organisation joined the protocol.

The lawyers had claimed OAPI lacked a mandate for joining, but OAPI dismissed these claims, stating that it has the authority. OAPI said joining the Madrid Protocol will mean the 17 nations it represents can “keep pace with the international system of industrial property protection”.

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