Foreign Trade Marks

National trade mark applications

These are applications filed on a country by country basis. For some countries a national trade mark application is the only option. Some countries subject each application to a rigorous examination procedure to determine if the mark is registrable, whereas others do not examine applications other than formally. Almost all countries advertise the mark to allow third parties to oppose. After any opposition has been disposed of, the mark will proceed to registration and a certificate will issue.  

European Community Trade Mark Applications

A European Community trade mark (CTM) application is a way of covering all of the European Union (EU) states.   Click Here for CTM information.

International Trade Marks

There are two main International Trade Mark systems that enable one to file a single application and obtain protection worldwide.  An International Convention Known as "The Madrid Protocol" allows a single application to cover a large number of different countries throughout the world (List of Countries).  The UK is a member of the Madrid Protocol.

A similar system to that of the Madrid Protocol is the Madrid Agreement. It is available to applicants who are nationals of, resident in, or have a genuine place of business in one of the Madrid Agreement countries. The UK is not a member country of the Madrid Agreement.

Click Here for more details or International Trade Marks.

TRADE MARK COSTS OUTSIDE THE UK  

We calculate your bill from disbursements (e.g., Patent Office fees, draughtsman's charges, foreign correspondents' charges, telephone, copying, fax and travel costs, and service charges. A flat rate administrative charge is sometimes charged for specific (mainly clerical) matters,  and a charge is made for the professional time spent on the matter. With regard to the latter, this is calculated by recording all time spent (whether on the telephone, in meetings, preparing documents or otherwise dealing with your file). Thus, most of our charges can only be estimated as they depend largely on the time spent.   In additional allowance should be made for the fact that documents to be used in foreign trade mark applications will often need to be notarized and/or legalized which may add to the costs.  

For further information please use our Information request Form