8 July 2013Trademarks

Madrid Protocol takes effect in India

The Madrid Protocol came into force in India on Monday, three months after the country signed the treaty.

India became the protocol’s 90th member in April this year, paving the way for local businesses to protect their marks in multiple jurisdictions by filing one application with one set of fees.

At the time, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) director general Francis Gurry said the move was a “major milestone” and “gives brand owners around the world the ability to extend their protection to the important Indian market”.

On July 8, India’s controller general of patents, designs and trademarks, Chaitanya Prasad, issued a signed public notice confirming that the treaty is now in force.

The notice added: “The amendments in the Trade Marks Act and rules enabling the international registration of trademarks under the Madrid Protocol have also come into effect on this date.”

The website of India’s IP office now includes a section allowing companies to apply for applications under the protocol.

In 2012, WIPO handled a record number of Madrid applications – 44,018, which represented a 4.1 percent rise from the previous year. Countries expected to join the system within the next two years include Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand.

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8 April 2013   India has become the 90th country to join the Madrid Protocol for the international registration of trademarks.
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19 December 2014   The African Intellectual Property Organization, comprising 17 African countries, has joined the Madrid Protocol.