The Madrid system is an international trademark registration system for global trademark registration and management. This system is simple in procedures and low in cost. Applicants only need to submit one application to a trademark authority and pay one set of fees to obtain trademark protection in multiple countries at the same time. Since the signing of the Madrid Agreement in 1891, the Madrid System has 108 members, covering more than 124 countries. As the trend of economic globalization intensifies, the members of this system are still growing. The latest information of members of the Madrid System is as follows:
1. Trinidad and Tobago (effective 12 January 2021)
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago submitted its instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on 12 October 2020. The Protocol entered into force on 12 January 2021, thus making Trinidad and Tobago the 107th member of the Madrid System. This means that a Trinidad and Tobago national trademark applicant can designate more than 120 countries at the same time by submitting a Madrid international registration application through the country's Ministry of Intellectual Property. At the same time, it means that applicants from other trademark member countries under the system can also seek protection in Trinidad and Tobago through the Madrid National Registration Application.
2. Strait of Gibraltar and Guernsey Region (effective 1 January 2021)
（1）Gibraltar, as an overseas British territory, has no independent trademark registration system. According to the UK's latest announcement, protection will extend to the Strait of Gibraltar from 1 January 2021 for new applications or later designation of trademarks designated in the UK through the Madrid route. Although the Strait of Gibraltar is not a member of Madrid, it is not uncommon for the British and French territories to be protected by international registration for political and historical reasons.
（2）Bailiwick of Guernsey is a self-governing British Crown Dependency. According to the agreement between the British Government and the International Bureau of Madrid, from 1 January 2021, trademark applicants will be able to file new applications for trademarks through the Madrid route or later designate a separate Guernsey district. In addition, an applicant for a trade mark in the Guernsey region may choose the Guernsey Registry as the original authority for the Madrid trade mark application. Unlike Gibraltar, Guernsey has Madrid membership.
3. Pakistan (effective 24 May 2021)
On 24 February 2021, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan deposited with the Director-General of WIPO its instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol, ushering in the Madrid System the 108th new member. The Protocol will enter into force for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on 24 May 2021. At that time, the trademark owner of each country can submit a power of attorney signed only to the original bureau of their own country through the Madrid system to designate Pakistan, eliminating the tedious requirement of the applicant to notarize the document when applying for Pakistan. The move, which also makes it possible for Pakistani trademark applicants to designate other Madrid member states through the system, accelerates the process of the globalization of intellectual property in Pakistan.
4. Chile (effective date not yet clear)
Chile is also working intensively to accede to the Madrid Protocol. On 2 December 2020, Chile's proposal to accede to the Protocol entered the first stage of the legislative process. If the proposal is finally approved, Chilean trademark applicants will be able to file a single trademark application through the Chilean National Industrial Property Office (INAPI), thereby achieving trademark protection in a number of countries/territories with different IP systems. This new measure of the Chilean government will undoubtedly inject vitality into the development of the international market and the construction of international brands for domestic enterprises.
