A trade mark registration will only grant you exclusive rights in a trade mark in the country where you have registered the mark. You can therefore either:

(a) file an application directly with the country’s IP office; or

(b) if you would like to protect your trade mark in multiple countries, the International Application via the World Intellectual Property Office (“WIPO”) known as the Madrid System may be the best option for you.

In most cases, if you want to own you mark in three or more countries, the Madrid System will be the most cost-effective option as it allows you to file one application via WIPO and designate the countries where you want protection. WIPO will handle all the interactions with the relevant countries’ IP offices for you, but if an objection is raised you will need to engage a local agent which can lead to additional costs.

An overview of the approximate costs for filing in the most common markets of interest is set out below.