The World Intellectual Property Organization has announced that Belize will join the Madrid Protocol becoming the 113th member (and covering 129 countries). This will come into force on 24 February 2023.
Madrid Protocol
The Madrid Protocol is an international system, whereby a brand owner in a member country can seek protection of its trade mark in any other member country(ies), through a centralised, streamlined and cost-efficient process. There are many other advantages to using this system for overseas protection of your brand, including a six-month grace period to file in any other member country(ies), whilst retaining the same filing date as your home application. This is valuable for brand owners where they are yet to use their mark in commerce, or where they intend to seek protection in countries where rights are generally attributed to the first entity to seek protection (i.e. first-to-file countries).
Benefits of Belize Joining the Madrid Protocol
Parties wishing to file trade mark applications in Belize will now have a more convenient, streamlined and cost-effective option in seeking protection in Belize by filing one overseas application, including designating Belize and any other member countries.
It also means it is easier to file trade mark applications across the Caribbean with Belize joining other member countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.
For assistance with protection of your brand overseas, please feel free to contact me at +61 (3) 9020 3142 or another member of the Baxter IP team.
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