Record year for WIPO filings

A record 39,945 international trademark applications were received in 2007 by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under the Madrid System, representing a 9.5% increase on figures for 2006.

The following African countries are members of the Madrid System: Algeria (A), Botswana (P), Egypt (A), Kenya (A&P), Lesotho (A&P), Liberia (A), Morocco (A&P), Mozambique (A&P), Namibia (A&P), Sierra Leone (A&P), Sudan (A), Swaziland (A&P) and Zambia (P) (*A = Madrid Agreement and *P = Madrid Protocol)

Developing countries, which includes all of the African countries mentioned above, accounted for 2,108 filings in 2007, representing 5.3% of total filings and a remarkable 10.5% growth over 2006. These figures would be boosted significantly if SA were to join the Madrid System.

For the full WIPO press release click here. For information on filings by African based countries using the Community Trade Mark System click here.

Notably, as from September 1, 2008, for states bound by both the Madrid Agreement and the Madrid Protocol, only the provisions of the Protocol will apply.