GLOBAL TRADEMARK REGISTRATION TOUCHES A MILLION:

Drishya Subash
TRADEMARKS ARE THE EXTREMELY VALUBLE COMMERICAL ASSETS AS FAR AS A BUSINESS FIRM IS CONCERNED. THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL TRADEMARK WAS REGISTERED IN 1893 , MORE THAN A CENTURY BACK, AND IT WAS BY A SWISS CHOCOLATE – MAKER NAMED RUSS – SUCHARD AND CO. THE INTERNATIONAL TRADEMARK REGISTRATION TOUCHED THE ONE MILLION MARK THIS MONTH[ ie, 2009 MAY] . AUSTRALIA – BASED GRUNE ERDE, WHICH SPECIALISES IN NATURAL WOOD, TEXTILE AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS, BECAME THE MILLIONTH INTERNATIONAL TRADEMARK OWNER.

THESE TRADEMARKS ARE REGISTERD BY AN ORGANIZATION CALLED “WIPO” – THE WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION, GOVERNED BY UN.TRADEMARKS AND THE BRANDING EFFORTS HELP CONSUMERSMAKE INFROMED CHOICES ABOUT THE PRODUCTS THEY BUY. THE TRADEMARKS ARE REGD: AT WIPO UNDER ITS “MADRID SYSTEM” FOR THE “INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION OF MARKS”.THIS SYSTEM OFFERS A TRADEMARK OWNER THE POSSIBILITY TO HAVE HIS TRADEMARK PROTECTED IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES BY SIMPLY FILING ONE APPLICATION DIRECTLY WITH HIS OWN NATIONAL OR REGIONAL TRADEMARK OFFICE.

WIPO’S INTERNATIONAL TRADEMARK REGISTRATION SYSTEM IS A COST- EFFECTIVE, USER FRIENDLY STREAMLINED MEANS BY WHICH BUSINESS OPERATING INTERNATIONALLY CAN PROTECT AND MANAGES THEIR TRADEMARK PORTFOLIO.

THE INCREASINGLY RAPID GROWTH OF THE MADRID SYSTEM OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES REFLECTS THE INCREASED INTERNATIONALIZATION OF TRADE AND BORDER RECOGNITION OF THE COMMERICAL IMPORTANCE OF TRDEMARKS.AND THE GROWING NUMBER OF REGISTRATION REFLECTS AN INCREASING AWARENESS AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.