What the Madrid System is
The Madrid System is an international procedure for registering trademarks that allows you to obtain protection in several countries by filing a single application.
The system is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It includes more than 130 countries, including all EU countries, the USA, China, Japan and others.
Advantage: Instead of filing separate applications in each country, you file one international application and select the countries you need.
Requirements for filing
- Basic registration or application — you must have a trademark registered or filed for registration in Russia
- Identity of the marks — the international mark must match the basic one
- List of goods and services — cannot be broader than in the basic registration
Registration procedure
1. Preparing the application
The application is filed through Rospatent. You need to:
- Complete form MM2 in English or French
- Indicate the countries in which protection is required
- Pay the official fees
2. Review by Rospatent
Rospatent checks that the international application matches the basic one and forwards it to WIPO.
3. Registration at WIPO
WIPO checks the application against formal requirements and registers the mark in the International Register.
4. Examination in the selected countries
Each designated country conducts its own examination. The term is 12-18 months (up to 18 months for some countries).
Cost
It is made up of several parts:
- WIPO basic fee — 653 Swiss francs (black-and-white mark) or 903 francs (colour)
- Fee for each country — from 100 to 400+ francs depending on the country
- Fee for additional classes — 100 francs for each class above 3
- Rospatent fee — about 4,900 rubles
Example: Registration in 5 EU countries (by designating the EU as a single territory) will cost approximately 1,500-2,000 euros.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
- One application for several countries
- Savings on fees compared with national applications
- Unified management (renewal, changes)
- The ability to add countries later
Disadvantages:
- Dependence on the basic registration for 5 years
- If the basic registration is cancelled, the international one also lapses
- Not all countries are part of the system
Alternatives
If the country you need is not part of the Madrid System, or you want greater independence from the basic registration, you can file a national application directly with the patent office of the country in question.