International Trademark Protection

Do you plan to sell in the global market?  Be sure to file for trademark protection internationally

Step 1–  File in the US

Step 2– Familiarize yourself with the laws between other countries and the US.  International Trade Administration and WIPO are great resources.

Step 3-Hire a translation team.  Your mark is valuable to your business.  A translation team can verify that your mark is not offensive in the countries you wish to pursue.

Step 4-Utilize the Madrid system.  This is a system to register your mark in up to 124 countries with one application.  You can choose specific countries, or register in all of them.  The costs vary, but it is less expensive than registering your trademark in each country.  Remember, you must register your trademark in your home country first.

Step 5– Hire an attorney if you want to register in countries not covered by the Madrid System and/or you don’t want to figure out the system yourself.  There are many countries not included in the Madrid System including Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and South Africa.

Step 6– Don’t wait-  When seeking an international trademark, don’t delay. A 3rd party may register your trademark in another country.  Then when you want to register it, they will attempt to sell it back to you.  Unlike the US which grants trademarks based on usage, many foreign countries are on a first to file basis.  So, be first to file and avoid the risk of having to buy back your own trademark.