International Trademark Registration Organization and its Member States

一. (Madrid has 116 members, covering 132 countries and regions) As of April 20, 2026.

63 parties to the agreement/protocol (applications can be submitted after receiving the acceptance notice)

二. 51 parties to the pure protocol (after receiving the acceptance notice, you can submit the application)

三、African Intellectual Property Organization OAPI(17)

四、List of EU Member States EU(27)

Advantages of Madrid Trademark Registration:

1. Simple Procedure:

The Madrid System offers a global solution for trademark registration and management, making it convenient and cost-effective. By submitting a single application and paying a single set of fees, protection can be sought in up to 122 countries. Through this centralized system, you can also make changes, renew, or extend your trademark internationally.

1.2 Lower Costs:

The fees for Madrid registration include:

• Basic Fee: 653 Swiss Francs; 903 Swiss Francs for color trademarks*

• Designation Fee: 100 Swiss Francs per designated contracting party, except for those requiring individual fees.

• Additional Fees: Depend on where you want protection and the number of classes of goods and services covered.

• Supplementary Registration Fee: If the number of classes exceeds 3, an additional 100 Swiss Francs is charged per extra class.

Disadvantages of Madrid Trademark Registration:

2.1 Limitations on Countries:

The Madrid Agreement was initially proposed by countries implementing the principle of national trademark registration. Thus, a domestic registration in the applicant’s home country is required as a precondition for international registration. Currently, the Madrid Union has 106 member countries, covering 122 countries. Some countries with close trade relations with China are not yet members, meaning Chinese companies cannot register trademarks in those countries through the Madrid System.

2.2 Requirement for Domestic Basis:

International registration must be based on a domestic application or registration. Under the Madrid Agreement, the application must rely on a domestic registration or a preliminary application announcement of the same trademark. Under the Madrid Protocol, the application must be based on a national registration application for the same trademark. Therefore, there are timing limitations for filing.

2.3 Unstable Registration Effect:

Since international registration depends on the domestic registration, it remains linked to the home country registration for five years. If the home country registration is canceled within this period, the international registration will also be canceled. This is known as the “central attack principle.”

2.4 Longer Timeframe:

It generally takes about 6 months to obtain the WIPO International Bureau registration certificate, which is equivalent to a domestic Notice of Acceptance. From the international registration date, if a designated country does not issue a refusal notice to WIPO within the prescribed 12 months, the trademark will automatically receive protection in that designated country.