International trademark registration
Here, you'll find information on how to apply for trademark protection in multiple countries through an international application system called the Madrid Protocol. To proceed, you must have filed a Swedish trademark application or have a registered trademark with PRV.
Starting in November 2024, you can submit your application via an online portal provided by the World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO. This portal, to which PRV are connected, is known as Madrid e-filing. Below, we describe the application process in detail and address common questions.
Basic application
The system is based on a national trademark application or registration, referred to as the basic application/registration. Once you’ve determined the countries where you seek protection, you submit an application to WIPO. PRV examines and verifies the information before WIPO forwards the case to the countries you’ve selected. Each country then examines whether the trademark can be protected within its jurisdiction.
How do I apply?
- Create a WIPO account and log in to Madrid e-filing
- All communication between you, PRV, and WIPO is conducted electronically through the E-filing portal.
- Use the information from your basic application to prepare the international application with the same list of goods and services. This list may be narrowed or specified further but cannot be broadened.
- Once you complete the application in the portal, PRV validates the information. If there are issues with your application, you will receive a notification in the portal. You may correct any deficiencies within a specified deadline before the application proceeds. When the application is complete, WIPO will review it.
- WIPO registers the trademark in the international register, and you receive a registration certificate with an international registration number. However, this certificate does not grant any rights to the trademark. At this stage, the trademark is only registered in WIPO’s register and is not yet protected in individual countries.
How do I pay?
- You can pay all fees, except the national fee to PRV, through the Madrid e-filing portal. The national fee should be paid to PRV, referencing the case number received in your PRV confirmation.
- All fees to WIPO are paid in Swiss Francs. The total amount is calculated in the electronic application.
- The E-filing portal provides direct access to the Madrid Goods & Services Manager tool, which translates and verifies classifications and terms.
- You always have access to the latest application status in your account.
Payment
- PRV’s fee for an international trademark application according to the Madrid Protocol.
- The total fee to WIPO depends on the number of countries selected in your application and the number of goods and services classes included. You can estimate the fee using WIPO’s fee calculator.
Deadline for applying with priority
If you have applied for trademark registration in Sweden, you can claim priority if you apply for a trademark in another country within six months. This means you can use the filing date of your Swedish application as the filing date for your new applications in other countries. This may be advantageous if another party has applied for the same or a similar trademark, potentially creating a conflict of interest.
The relationship between the national application and an international registration
When your international registration has been granted, that registration is linked to your basic Swedish application/registration for five years. Basic application means the application that your international registration is based on.
The validity period is based on the international registration date. If the Swedish base application/registration undergoes changes to its goods/services list or is cancelled within five years, the international registration will also change or be cancelled accordingly. Therefore, it may be beneficial to wait until your Swedish application has been processed before filing an international application. However, to retain priority, you must apply within six months of submitting your Swedish application.
Processing time
Processing times vary by country but do not exceed 18 months. If the trademark is not rejected within this period, it is considered protected in the respective country.
Renewals and changes
International registrations must be renewed directly with WIPO. WIPO also handles updates, such as assignments and name changes, to ensure the information is accurate in all countries where the registration applies.
Unable to use Madrid e-filing?
Using Madrid e-filing is the simplest and most efficient way to apply for international registration. If you cannot use this option, you may use the MM2 form available on WIPO’s website. Detailed payment instructions are included in the form. To ensure WIPO can link your payment to the correct application, please provide specific payment information, including the form (MM2), WIPO reference number, and application or registration number for the Swedish application or registration.
More information
WIPO's pages on how to apply through the Madrid system