On June 29, 2011, the Colombian Congress issued Law 1455, by means of which it approved the "Madrid Protocol concerning the Madrid Agreement regarding the international registration of trademarks", adopted in Madrid, Spain, on June 27, 1989 and modified on October 3, 2006 and on November 12, 2007.
This Protocol, along with the "Madrid Agreement", is part of the "Madrid System", which establishes an international registration scheme for trademarks. The Madrid System was established on 1891 and is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
At the moment, Law 1455 is being subject to control by the Constitutional Court that is in charge of analyzing its constitutionality. Once said Court issues a ruling, Law 1455 should be deposited before WIPO for ratification.
Once Law 1455 is ratified, Colombia will officially be part of the Madrid Protocol and, consequently, it will be one of the more than eighty countries that have ratified this Protocol. Those interested to obtain the registration of their trademark in several countries will be able to do it through the International Registration.
The Superintendence of Industry and Trade is currently working on the implementation of the Madrid Protocol through the institutional strengthening as well as through the adaptation of the concerning laws, in order to promote and raise the awareness in the use of this System.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
