An international trademark is a trademark that is protected in several countries or regions worldwide based on a single registration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Registering an international trademark enables the owner to extend trademark protection and streamline the registration process across multiple countries.
The registration of international trademarks is based on the Madrid System, a set of global agreements comprising the Madrid Protocol and the Madrid Agreement, which allows trademark owners to protect their rights in several member countries.
This system offers the advantage of centralising the registration procedure and avoiding the need for the applicant to file a separate application in each country or region where protection is desired.
The process of registering an international trademark begins with the registration of the trademark in a member country of the Madrid Protocol or Agreement, usually in the country of origin of the trademark. For a French applicant, this may be France or the European Union. Once this national application has been accepted, the owner can request the extension of this protection to other countries or territories that are members of the Madrid system by submitting an international extension application via WIPO.
The international trademark has the advantage of offering a simplified procedure and generally lower costs compared to multiple registrations in each country. However, the protection granted in each member country may be subject to local conditions, and each office conducts its own examination of the trademark. In other words, WIPO does not grant ownership rights to trademarks; rather, it facilitates the registration and management of trademark applications.
The term of protection for an international trademark is generally 10 years, renewable indefinitely, provided that the requirements of the countries in which the trademark is protected are met.
It is also important to note that the owner may decide to extend or limit the scope of their international trademark at any time.