Legal Definitions - Madrid Union

The Madrid Union is a system for the international registration of trademarks established by the Madrid Agreement, which was signed in 1890. The agreement's official name is the Madrid Arrangement Concerning the International Registration of Marks. It allows a trademark registered in a treaty nation to receive equal protection in all signatory nations.

For example, if a company registers its trademark in the United States and also registers it with the World Intellectual PropertyOrganization, it will receive the same level of protection in all other countries that are part of the Madrid Union.

The United States ratified the treaty in 2002, which means that American companies can take advantage of the Madrid Union system to protect their trademarks in other countries.

The Madrid Union is an important tool for businesses that operate internationally, as it simplifies the process of registering and protecting trademarks in multiple countries.