International Trademark (Madrid System)

One base mark, many countries

An international registration isn't a stand-alone right: it builds on a 'base' mark you already hold (say, a German or EU registration) and extends its protection to selected members of the Madrid System — currently around 130. You needn't extend every class or every good; you choose the countries and the scope. It replaces filing separately in each country with a single WIPO application in one language and one currency.

How the fees work

Official fees have three parts: a handling fee from the home office of the base mark (the DPMA charges €180 for a German base, the EUIPO €300); WIPO's basic fee of CHF 653 for a word mark or black-and-white figurative mark (CHF 903 in colour); and a per-country fee for each designated member. As a rule of thumb, for a single foreign country a direct national filing is often cheaper, while for several countries the Madrid route usually wins.

How our agents handle it, and the 5-year rule

Agents confirm your base right, help you select the members to designate, and prepare and file the international application via WIPO; each designated office then examines the mark under its own law. One caveat: for its first five years the international registration is dependent on the base mark — if the base is cancelled or refused in that window (a 'central attack'), the international mark falls with it. That's why a thorough search before the base filing matters. After five years, the international registration stands independently. Attorney oversight applies throughout; our flat service fee is €199 net.