A Business-Oriented Overview of Intellectual Property

for Law Students

Betty BerendsonSenior Information Officer,

Information and Promotion DivisionSector of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical

Indications

The International Registration System of Marks (Madrid System)

Basic Features and Advantages

Objectives of the System

• International Registration and Administration of Trademarks in up to 78 Contracting Parties – through a single procedure– with a single administration– in a single language

• Simplified access to foreign markets

Characteristics

• Simpler, faster and much more affordable

• Simplified registration in one country with the possibility of many designations

• Simplified management of a trademark portfolio

Procedure through the Madrid System

• Via national office

• Language

• Formal examination

• Registration

• Notification and publication

• Refusal (or not) by designated Contracting Parties

Central Administration

• Subsequent Designations

• Assignments

• Changes in Names and Addresses

• Limitation, renunciation, cancellation

• Renewal

Madrid Union(78 Members)

Agreement only 10Protocol only 22

Agreement and Protocol 46(Including EC)

Top filer Membersin 2005

Germany 5,802 17.3%

France 3,497 10.4%

United States 2,847 8.5%

Benelux 2,426 7.2%

Italy 2,340 7.0%

Switzerland 2,235 6.7% European Community 1,852 5.5%

China 1,334 4.0%

Austria 1,190 3.6%

United Kingdom 1,014 3.0%

Japan 893 2.7%

Spain 853 2.5%

Australia 852 2.5%

Significant filing increases in 2005

United States 2,847 152.0%European Community 1,520Japan 893 91.4%Australia 852 80.4%Turkey 699 71.7%China 1,334 63.3%Norway 226 52.7% Russian Federation 602 51.2%

# filings growth

Top designated countriesin 2005

China 13,576Switzerland 13,192Russian Federation 12,809United States of America 11,861Japan 10,099Germany 9,153Italy 8,818Turkey 8,599France 8,584Norway 8,440Spain 8,328United Kingdom 8,288Ukraine 8,270

International trademarks in force

• some 440.000 registrations in force

• over 5 million active designations

• more than 145,000 different trademark owners

Marks by right-holder

1-2 3-1011-100101-500> 500

Total

80.29%16.15%

3.36%0.19%0.01%

100,00%

116,43223,414

4,874266

21

145,007

Number of right-holdersRight-

holders(145,007)

Registrationsin force(438,853)

1-2 marks31.84%

11-100 marks26.79% 3-10 marks

24.76%

101-500 marks11.27%

> 500 marks5.34%

Registrations by Category of Right-Holderby the end of 2005

Trends by Companies (1)

Madrid: Classes per Registration (2005)

47.47%

16.78% 20.21%

6.11% 3.27% 4.84%1.31%

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

1 2 3 4 5 6-10 11-45

Trends by Companies (2)

Madrid: Designations per Registration (2005)

53.19%

19.57% 14.64%

6.31% 4.22%2.06%

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

1-5 6-10 11-20 21-30 31-50 51-75

Trends by Companies (3)

Madrid: Amounts of Fees paid per Registration (2005)

59%

23%

9% 4% 4%1%

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

less than3,000 CHF

3,000 to4,999 CHF

5,000 to6,999 CHF

7,000 to9,999 CHF

10,000 to14,999 CHF

more than15,000 CHF

Trademarks Worldwide

• Over 2,000,000 trademark applications are filed worldwide annually

• Approximately 700,000 are international trademarks filings, from which:

• Over 300,000 are filed through the Madrid System (43%)

Thank you!

betty.berendson@wipo.int