On September 11, 2009, the Government of Liberia deposited with the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) its instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol Concerning the International Registration of Marks.

Liberia Joins International Trade Marks System

The Madrid Protocol will enter into force, with respect to Liberia, on December 11, 2009.

Accession to the Madrid Protocol by Liberia brings the number of Contracting Parties of the Protocol to 80. The total number of Contracting Parties of the Madrid system remains 84.

The international trade marks system continues to expand slowly but enexorably state by state across the globe. The current rate of expansion is around 1 to 3 states per year. Many companies are diverting the emphasis of their trade marks portfolios to focus on a core of international trade mark registrations, rather than a proliferation of national trade marks, cutting down on ongoing renewal fees and administration costs and taking advantage of the ease of use and quick results of the international system.

For further information please contact our team of international trade mark attorneys;

robert.franks@franksco.com

jon.banford@franksco.com

iain.croft@franksco.com

stephane.ambrosini@franksco.com

catherine.lichota@franksco.com

hiren.gandhi@franksco.com

debbie.ashmore@franksco.com

niki.taylor@franksco.com


Article Published September 11th, 2009