The Madrid Protocol system for securing international registration of a trade mark is to be extended to cover Qatar from 3 August 2024. This will bring the total number of countries in which it is possible to secure trade mark protection via a single trade mark application to 131.
The Madrid Protocol system has long been considered a cost-effective and flexible means of obtaining trade mark protection around the world, particularly given that such protection is covered by a single application and registration. This makes it much easier to manage than protection secured through multiple separate national registrations, since only one single registration is required for renewal, assignment, licensing, etc. In many cases, it is also possible to add or remove countries from the International registration, in order to address the changing commercial requirements of the trade mark owner.
With the accession of Qatar to the system, it is now possible to protect four of the six countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council through a Madrid Protocol trade mark, thereby making the Madrid Protocol even more attractive to businesses operating in the Middle East.
Bear in mind, however, that the Madrid Protocol system is not suitable for all businesses or trade mark protection strategies, and in some cases it may be more appropriate to secure protection via separate national registrations in some or all of the countries of interest. Further advice on the most appropriate trade mark registration strategy should therefore always be obtained from a trade mark attorney before commencing a trade mark filing programme.
National trademark holders in four – Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates – out of the six countries that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council can now use the Madrid System
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