Hong Kong Prepared To Join Madrid Protocol
21 November 2014
The Hong Kong government has recently issued a consultation paper on the proposed application of the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (Madrid Protocol) to Hong Kong.
The Madrid System of international registration of marks is an international arrangement which seeks to facilitate the registration and management of trademarks in different jurisdictions. Under the Madrid System, an owner may apply for registration of trademarks in one or more countries or territories by filing a single application and paying one set of fees. The Madrid Protocol currently does not apply to Hong Kong.
To enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong as an international business and intellectual property trading hub, the government believes that it would be in Hong Kong's overall interest to apply the Madrid Protocol to Hong Kong so that she can take advantage of the Madrid System.
