Workshop on E-filing System of International Trademark Applications

On May 2-3, 2018, at Mtskheta Office of the National Intellectual Property Centre of Georgia Sakpatenti a two-day workshop on e-filing system of international trademark applications was held for examiners of the Department of Trademarks, Geographical Indications and Design of Sakpatenti. The workshop was aimed to introduce basic features and recent developments in filing and extension of international applications by the Madrid system.

The workshop was led by Mr. Peter Baker, Project Manager, Madrid IS, Brands and Designs Sector, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), who introduced to the participants the opportunities of electronic filing, processing,  inter-office sending of applications and communication with applicants. 

It is noteworthy that Georgia will become the third member state of WIPO to use the e-filing system of international applications. At the given stage this system is used only by the IP Offices of the Benelux Countries and Australia.

The Madrid System is an international tool for trademark protection, on the basis of which, an applicant by means of filing a single application in a single language can protect a trademark in 116 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Georgia is a member of the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks from 1998.