A trademark registration obtained in Turkey protects you only within Turkey's borders. If you export or plan to grow abroad, you need to register your brand in your target countries too. This article covers international trademark registration and the Madrid Protocol.
Why Is Trademark Protection Territorial?
Trademark rights are territorial: each country recognises its own registrations. Your Turkish registration does not automatically protect you in Germany or the United States, for example. To obtain protection abroad you must either file separately in each country or use an international system.
What Is the Madrid Protocol?
The Madrid Protocol is an international system administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) that allows trademark registration in several countries through a single application. Turkey is a party to the system and applications are made through TÜRKPATENT as the office of origin.
How Does It Work?
- You file an international application with WIPO based on your existing Turkish application or registration.
- You designate the member countries in which you want protection.
- Each designated country examines the application under its own law.
Advantages of the Madrid Protocol
- One application, one file: No need to file separately in dozens of countries.
- Cost and time savings: The process is administered centrally.
- Easy management: Renewals and changes can be handled from a single point.
Points to Watch
An international registration depends, in its early years, on the basic application or registration in the country of origin (Turkey); if that is cancelled during this period, the international registration can be affected. Each designated country can also refuse your application on its own criteria. Country and class selection should therefore be strategic.
Alternative: Direct National Filing
Some countries are not party to the Madrid system, and for certain markets a direct national filing may be more advantageous. For the European Union, for instance, the EU Trade Mark (EUTM) covers all member states with a single application. The right route depends on your target markets.
International Protection with Webx
Which countries, which system and which classes you should file in depends on your business model. Webx builds an international registration strategy suited to your target markets and manages the process. To complete your Turkish registration first, see this guide, then contact us for international planning.
Classes and Searching in an International Filing
Classification is shared at international level: the Madrid system is also based on the Nice Classification, so the classes chosen in your basic Turkish application determine your scope abroad as well. If the basic application is drawn too narrowly, the international registration is confined to that narrowness — it cannot be widened later.
You can work out your class map from All 45 Trademark Classes, and run a trademark search before filing to see whether there are conflicts in your target countries.