Pakistan Joins The Madrid System: Facts And Key Takeaways

The decision of the Pakistani government to accede to the international trademark registration framework administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) could have a notable positive impact on Intellectual Property (IP) protection in South Asia and help galvanize trade in the region.

February 24, 2021, marked a pivotal occasion for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan when Khalil-ur-Rehman Hashmi, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, met with WIPO Director Daren Tang in Geneva to formally submit his country's instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol.

Pakistan is now the 108th member of the Madrid System, to the advantage of South Asia's IP sector and the wider economy. As such, Pakistan's domestic trademark holders will be able to conveniently register their marks across the 123 territories under the System's aegis when the Protocol enters into full effect on May 24, 2021. Organizations that do business