Tunisia Joins the International Trademark System

Tunisia's Minister of Industry Mehdi Jomâa and WIPO Director General Francis Gurry hailed on October 21st, 2013 the entry into force of the Madrid Protocol in Tunisia, while reviewing bilateral cooperation and discussing WIPO's future technical assistance to Tunisia. Under the WIPO-administered Madrid system, a trademark owner may protect a mark in up to 90 countries plus the European Union with its Community Trade Mark (CTM) by filing one application, in one language (English, French or Spanish), with one set of fees, in one currency (Swiss Francs).  Applicants wishing to use the Madrid system must apply for trademark protection in a relevant national or regional trademark office before seeking international protection.  An international registration under the Madrid system produces the same effects as an application for registration of the mark in each of the contracting parties designated by the applicant