Belize The Latest Caribbean Nation To Join The Madrid Protocol

• The Madrid Protocol entered into force in Belize on 24 February 2023
• The Trademarks (Amendment) Act 2022 made small changes to the legislative framework in preparation to joining the Madrid System
• Belize opted for the 18-month time limit for provisional refusals of applications

Belize has officially joined the ranks of Caribbean jurisdictions to sign on to the Madrid System in recent years, becoming the 113th member of the Madrid System. Belize acceded on 24 November 2022, and the Madrid Protocol officially entered into force on 24 February 2023. Regulations implementing the Madrid Protocol were released only shortly before the February implementation date. This left local practitioners speculating to some degree about how exactly the implementation would work in the weeks prior.