Legal Definitions - Madrid System

The Madrid System is an international agreement that allows citizens of a Madrid Agreement signatory nation to apply for a single international trademark through the World Intellectual PropertyOrganization (WIPO) instead of registering the trademark in each individual nation.

For example, if a company in the United States wants to protect their trademark in multiple countries, they can apply for international trademark protection through the Madrid System instead of registering their trademark in each country separately.

The Madrid System requires an applicant to apply for the trademark's registration in a treaty-member nation before applying for international trademark protection. This means that the applicant must first register their trademark in their home country before applying for international protection.

The Madrid System also includes the Madrid Protocol, which is a 1989 international trademark-registration agreement that supplements the Madrid Agreement on trademark registration. The Madrid Protocol harmonizes the Agreement's registration system with that of the European Union and allows citizens of nonmember nations to apply for international trademark registration without first registering the trademark in a member nation.

Overall, the Madrid System simplifies the process of protecting trademarks internationally and makes it easier for businesses to expand their brand globally.