Tips from the Trademark Insider: India to Join World Trademark Treaty

India has just announced that it will join the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO’s) Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks later this year. This will enable The Trademark Company’s clients, and U.S. trademark owners in general, to extend the reach of their trademarks to more than a billion consumers through a relatively simple filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

“There is a big process to join the Madrid System and India would come [on board] in 2010,” WIPO Director General Francis Gurry told reporters today. He said more countries from South America, particularly Colombia, Mexico and Brazil are expected to join the trade mark protection system soon as well.

Though India has been holding consultations with WIPO for several years about joining the Madrid System, the government was unable to take a final call till now, analysts said.

“Obviously we are thrilled with this development” added the General Partner of The Trademark Company. “This will result in tremendous cost savings to our clients while opening up their brands to another 17% of the world’s population.”

The Trademark Company