WIPO Conducts Madrid Protocol Training in Jordan

Following a request from Zain Al Awamleh, Jordan’s Director of the Industrial Property Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently sent a mission to Jordan to deliver two seminars on the Madrid System for International Registration of Marks.

The half-day seminars took place March 12-13, the first being delivered to local trademark professionals in Jordan and the second to Jordanian brand owners and local chambers of commerce. On both days, attendees from the Industrial Property Protection Directorate also attended the seminars.

The purpose of the seminars was to raise awareness of the Madrid System as one of the first steps towards Jordan considering whether it wishes to accede to the System.

The two sessions covered the following topic areas:

• A legal overview of the Madrid System and recent developments;
• An outline of Madrid news and an introduction to WIPO’s e-services; and
• An outline of the practical experience of the Madrid System.

Attendees learned how the Madrid System has been increasing in popularity, and how it can save significant sums for the trademark holder. Attendees were also shown the increasing number of online systems and services operated by WIPO, which can be used whether or not the country is a member of the Madrid System.

Both sessions were extremely interactive, with many questions being put forward by the attendees. While Jordan is not yet a member of the Madrid System, Jordanian businesses and Jordanian professionals with experience of the system attended on both days. This helped generate lively and productive discussion with the attendees.

It is now expected that further discussions will take place with the Industrial Property Protection Directorate and interested parties within Jordan as to whether Jordan will consider acceding to the Madrid System. Should the country decide that it would like to progress towards accession, it will of course engage further with WIPO and other relevant stakeholders.

The Madrid Protocol is an extremely useful tool and one which will assist Jordanian companies in protecting their trademark rights in countries to which they export, countries in which they commercialize their trademarks, or countries from which they manufacture or source their products. Additionally, it also offers brand owners from outside the country a viable alternative to national filings in Jordan.

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