Jamaica becomes a member of the Madrid System

Jamaica will become the 110th member of the Madrid system when the Madrid Protocol enters into force on 27 March 2022.

Jamaica follows on from the UAE, where the Protocol entered into force in December 2021.

This addition to the Madrid system is a welcome development, allowing the expansion of trade mark portfolios into additional territories to become more streamlined and cost effective.

The Madrid system offers a convenient route for parties to apply for trade mark protection in up to 126 territories (including Jamaica) by filing a single international application with the national or regional IP office of a Madrid Union member.  The addition of Jamaica to the fold means that from 27 March local brand owners in Jamaica will be able to start using the Madrid system to protect their trade marks in the other 125 territories covered.  This also means that foreign businesses and individuals can seek trade mark protection in Jamaica through the Madrid system, providing an additional route to protection. While each territory designated is still subject to examination in each national office, as with a national application, the filing of a single application to cover multiple territories, and the ongoing maintenance and renewal of the resulting international registration, can lead to a cost effective and administratively straight-forward addition to a trade mark portfolio.

The Madrid system therefore remains an attractive route to trade mark protection, and with increasing numbers of member territories becomes ever more useful.