International Trademark Registration: International Trademark Protection at the WIPO (“World Mark” / IR Trademark)

For globally active companies, a trademark registration in Germany or Europe (or the European Union / EU) is often not enough. Protection is therefore frequently extended to other countries, e.g. via an application for international trademark rights (IR trademark) at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, in order to start a kind of “world mark” for an ideally worldwide trademark registration. Through the system of an IR trademark an almost worldwide trademark protection is possible.

Therefore, if you have already applied for or registered a German trademark or an EU trade mark and the trademark applicant has its registered office/residence in Germany or the European Union, we will be happy to assist you if you wish to apply for an international trademark or obtain international trademark protection through the WIPO.

With the system of the international trademark according to the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks (Madrid Agreement and Protocol relating to that Agreement), international trademark protection at the WIPO can be claimed in more than 120 countries (e.g. in the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Great Britain / United Kingdom / UK, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, Brazil etc.) without the need to involve local trademark attorneys or IP lawyers for the very application. If a trademark is filed within 6 months of the application date of the basic trademark, its priority can be claimed to maintain the filing date. Besides that, the protection of an international trademark right can also be applied for or extended / expanded later.

If you are interested in applying for an international trademark, please do not hesitate to contact our Patent and IP Law Firm with “Trademark Lawyer” (Patent Attorney or Certified Intellectual Property Lawyer) and inform us about your existing basic trademark as well as the relevant countries / regions for the desired scope of protection.

“Basic trademark” (application or registration) e.g. German trademark or EU trademark ➔ Application for international trademark via the trademark office of the basic trademark as well as payment of the corresponding fees ➔ Forwarding of the application to the WIPO and examination of formal requirements ➔ If no complaint by the WIPO: Granting of the international trademark certificate as well as forwarding of the application to national trademark offices: Examination and ideally issuance together with confirmation of registration / certificate (in some countries only after payment of further fees) (if necessary objections or oppositions to be overcome beforehand)

From the WIPO overview linked here, you can see the current member states of the international trademark system into which your trademark can be extended. Please inform us of the countries / regions that are of interest for you, so that we can prepare a quote.

For trademark applications in other countries outside the system of international trademark protection, we can get you in contact with our international network of specialized colleagues and provide you with an offer. Just contact us!