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Can I use the Madrid Protocol to extend my EU trademark internationally?

Founder & Trademark Attorney

Yes. A registered EU trademark (or a pending EU trademark application) can be used as the basis for an international application filed through WIPO under the Madrid Protocol, allowing the holder to seek protection in any of the 130+ countries participating in the Madrid System with a single international application.

The international application must be initialized through the EUIPO, which then transfers it to WIPO. Then, each designated jurisdiction examines the application under its own national rules. Importantly, the base EU trademark must remain valid for five years from the date of the international registration, because if it gets canceled within the five-year period, the international registration also becomes open to cancellations.

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