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International Trademark Registration

Trademarks that have been applied for and registered in Turkey are protected only within the borders of Turkey. Trademark owners are required to register their trademarks in the relevant country or countries for reasons such as exports, fair participations, dealerships abroad and products and services that they take out of the country's borders.

There are four different trademark registration systems for trademark registration in other countries;

 1. International Trademark Registration (Madrid Protocol System)

 2. Community Trademark Registration System

 3. National Trademark Registration

 4. Regional Trademark Registration

1. International Trademark Registration (Madrid Protocol System)

International Trademark Registration, together with Turkey's membership in the Madrid Protocol in 1999, is a system that provides protection in multiple countries or all countries, including the European Union, with a single application.

The World Intellectual Rights Organization, located in Geneva, Switzerland, is authorized for International Trademark Registration proceedings in accordance with the Madrid Protocol. (WIPO - World Intellectual Property Office). Registration may optionally cover some or all of the member states of the Madrid Protocol.

For international trademark registration, there is an obligation to apply for or register a trademark for the same trademark in Turkey.

2. Community Trademark Registration System

It is a system that provides protection with a single application in member states of the European Community and can be valid in all countries. The authorized office for protection, called Community Trademark Registration, is the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market, located in Spain. (OHIM-Office For Harmonization In The Internal Market)

With a single trademark application, a trademark registration certificate valid in community member states is obtained. Turkish citizens can also register a Community Trademark in accordance with the Paris Convention and ensure its protection in the European Community.

After the application is submitted to OHIM, formal examination is being conducted and the applicant is informed by issuing a research report so that the applicant can get information and identify possible oppositions in order to get the report of the research results received separately from each member state.

3. National Trademark Registration

For other countries that are not members of the Community Registration System (European Union Community System, WIPO), protection can be provided by applying individually. In national trademark registration, procedures are carried out according to the principles of reciprocity between countries. The national application procedure of each country differs.

The cost of trademark application and registration varies by country. The cost of registration increases in cases such as multiple classes of goods or services subject to registration according to the legal regulations of the relevant country and the opposition against the publication of the application.

The period between the application for registration of the trademark and the obtaining of the registration certificate is approximately 2 to 4 years. However, this period can be extended up to 5 years in some countries.

4. Regional Trademark Registration SYstem

Regional Trademark Registration is a regionally qualified protection system valid in member states.

BENELUX

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg have developed the BENELUX TRADEMARK SYSTEM. With a single application to the Benelux trademark Office, protection covers all three countries.

OAPI

Regional trademark protection is provided with a single application in OAPI-Africa Intellectual Rights Organization member countries (Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea (Conakry), Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo).