{"id":21980,"date":"2026-09-09T10:53:57","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T08:53:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/?p=21980"},"modified":"2026-09-18T09:11:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T07:11:32","slug":"international-trade-mark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/international-trade-mark\/","title":{"rendered":"International trade mark: how to protect your brand abroad?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A launch abroad, the signing of a distribution agreement or the opening of a new market all make it necessary to think quickly about trade mark protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A French trade mark protects French territory only. To secure its international development, a company must choose between several routes, in particular national filings, the European Union trade mark and the Madrid System, depending on the countries it wishes to protect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The aim is to concentrate protection on the markets that really matter for the company&#8217;s development, whether that development is planned for the short or the medium term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cabinet Bouchara &amp; Avocats, a specialist in intellectual property, assists companies in protecting and defending their trade marks in France and internationally. Discover our <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/trademark-law\/\"><strong>trade mark law practice<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key points on the international trade mark<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>An international trade mark rests on a centralised procedure: it allows protection to be sought in territories that must be expressly and individually designated.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>To use the Madrid System, the company must rely on a mark already filed or registered with a national or regional office: the \u201cbasic mark\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Each designated office keeps the power to examine the mark against its own rules.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>The choice between the Madrid System, a European Union trade mark and national filings depends on many factors, not least how urgent the project is.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is an international trade mark?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What is commonly called an \u201cinternational trade mark\u201d is a registration obtained through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wipo.int\/en\/web\/madrid-system\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Madrid System<\/a>, administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The applicant files a centralised application for the territories in which it wishes to be protected, with certain formalities and payments grouped together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Protection remains territorial: the applicant chooses the countries or regional organisations concerned, and each office then applies its own law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As at 4 September 2026, the Madrid System has <strong>117 members covering 133 countries<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"cb-cta\">\n<style>\n.cb-cta{background:#01615a;color:#fff;border-radius:4px;padding:1.75rem 2rem;margin:2.5rem 0;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:1rem 2rem;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between}\n.cb-cta p{margin:0;font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.5;max-width:640px;color:#fff}\n.cb-cta a.cb-cta__btn{display:inline-block;background:#fff;color:#01615a;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;padding:.7rem 1.4rem;border-radius:3px;white-space:nowrap}\n.cb-cta a.cb-cta__btn:hover{background:#e4e2db}\n<\/style>\n<p>Planning a launch abroad or an extension of your trade mark portfolio? Cabinet Bouchara &amp; Avocats helps you choose the territories that matter and secure your filings.<\/p>\n<a class=\"cb-cta__btn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/contact\/\">Contact the firm<\/a>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>French, European or international trade mark: which protection should you choose?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The choice depends above all on the countries in which the company already operates or plans to expand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table tableau-bouchara\"><table><thead><tr><th>Route<\/th><th>Territory<\/th><th>How it works<\/th><th>Best suited when<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>French trade mark<\/strong><\/td><td>France, with an option for French Polynesia<\/td><td>Filing with the INPI<\/td><td>The business remains mainly French<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.euipo.europa.eu\/en\/trade-marks\/before-applying\/where-to-register\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>European Union trade mark<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td>The whole of the EU<\/td><td>Unitary title filed with the EUIPO<\/td><td>Several European markets are envisaged<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Madrid System<\/strong><\/td><td>Designated countries or organisations<\/td><td>Centralised application, then territorial examination<\/td><td>Several markets in member countries are envisaged<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>National filings<\/strong><\/td><td>The chosen country<\/td><td>Direct application to the local office<\/td><td>The country is not a member or calls for a specific strategy; very useful where registration is needed more quickly<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These routes can also be combined. A company may, for instance, file a European Union trade mark for its European markets and use the Madrid System for countries outside the Union. A direct national filing may still be preferable where a single market is targeted or a particular local strategy is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How do you choose the countries in which to protect your trade mark?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is better to target the markets that matter to the business than to try to cover as many countries as possible. The first step is to identify the territories that count for the business, today and over the coming years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four questions help set the priorities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>in which countries is the mark already used?<\/li>\n\n\n<li>which markets does the company plan to open in the short or medium term?<\/li>\n\n\n<li>where are its manufacturers, distributors, licensees or franchisees?<\/li>\n\n\n<li>in which territories is there a particular risk of copying?<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From those answers, a company can rank its markets in order of priority and concentrate its budget on the most important territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before filing, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/lexicon\/prior-art-search\/\">prior rights search<\/a> in the chosen territories identifies the rights liable to block the mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Language must also be taken into account: a name that works perfectly in France may carry a different meaning, an awkward connotation, or require transliteration in some markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, it must be checked that the <strong>basic mark does cover the goods and services concerned by the international expansion<\/strong>. The international application may repeat or narrow that specification, but it cannot broaden it. If an essential product or service is missing, a fresh filing will be needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How do you file an international trade mark from France?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An international filing runs in five stages where the application is based on a French trade mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Check the basic mark<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The international application must rest on a mark already filed or registered, and one that is strong enough, since the international mark remains dependent on that national mark for five years. That check covers the owner and the specification, which must match the international project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If that first mark was filed recently, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/lexicon\/priority-period\/\"><strong>six-month priority period<\/strong><\/a> may allow protection to be extended abroad while keeping the date of the first filing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Choose the countries and the goods or services concerned<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The application must specify the countries or regional organisations in which protection is sought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. File the application through the INPI<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The international application is filed with the INPI, which forwards it to WIPO after checking it (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.legifrance.gouv.fr\/codes\/article_lc\/LEGIARTI000029122826\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">article R.717-8 of the French Intellectual Property Code<\/a>). After international registration, the designated countries examine the mark under their own rules and may in particular issue a total or partial refusal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Have the application examined by WIPO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WIPO checks the file, enters the mark in the international register and publishes the registration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Follow the examination in each territory<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The designated offices apply their own rules and may grant or refuse protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The WIPO certificate confirms the international registration; each designated office then decides whether the mark can be protected on its territory.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How much does an international trade mark filing cost?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cost of an international filing depends on the countries chosen and the number of classes of goods or services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Where the application is based on a mark filed or registered in France, the official fees are paid to two bodies: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inpi.fr\/realiser-demarches\/propriete-intellectuelle\/deposer-une-demande-dextension-dune-marque-francaise-linternational\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the INPI<\/a> checks and forwards the file, while WIPO handles the international registration. WIPO&#8217;s fees are always expressed in Swiss francs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The official fees fall into three items:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li><strong>\u20ac62 paid to the INPI<\/strong> for checking and forwarding the application;<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>a basic fee paid to <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wipo.int\/en\/web\/madrid-system\/how_to\/file\/fees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>WIPO<\/strong><\/a>, set at 4 September 2026 at CHF 653 for a black and white mark and CHF 903 for a mark in colour;<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>fees linked to the designated countries<\/strong>, the amount of which varies with the territories and the number of classes of goods or services.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>An indicative example:<\/strong> to extend a black and white French trade mark to the United States and Australia in one class, the official fees come to <strong>\u20ac62 paid to the INPI<\/strong>, plus <strong>CHF 1,330 paid to WIPO<\/strong>: CHF 653 basic fee, CHF 460 for the United States and CHF 217 for Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That simulation applies as at 4 September 2026. Fees can change, so the amounts should be checked at the time of filing with <a href=\"https:\/\/madrid.wipo.int\/feecalcapp\/home.xhtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WIPO&#8217;s official fee calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other costs may also arise depending on the case: prior rights searches, translations, professional fees for counsel or a local agent, and the costs of responding to a refusal or an opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Which risks should be anticipated before an international filing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Madrid System simplifies the formalities, but each country retains control over examination of the mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>One country may refuse the mark while the others accept it.<\/strong> The local office may take the view that the sign is not sufficiently distinctive, or that the specification is imprecise. The owner of an earlier right in that country may also file an opposition. Where there is a refusal or an opposition, it must be answered with the help of an intellectual property specialist working with their local correspondent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A refusal can also push up the cost of the project.<\/strong> Fees already incurred remain payable even if an office refuses protection. To these are sometimes added the fees needed to analyse the objection, respond to the office or defend the application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>For the first five years, the international mark remains dependent on the basic mark.<\/strong> If the basic mark ceases to have effect in whole or in part, the international registration may be cancelled. Conversion into national or regional applications remains possible under certain conditions, in particular within three months of the cancellation being recorded. It does, however, involve fresh formalities and fresh costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Analysing the target markets beforehand makes it possible to anticipate the refusals, oppositions and additional costs that may arise after filing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Vanessa Bouchara&#8217;s advice<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is better to secure your potentially strategic markets early than to file once the project becomes urgent, because securing a trade mark registration takes time.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite><strong>Vanessa Bouchara<\/strong>, intellectual property lawyer, founder of Cabinet Bouchara &amp; Avocats<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How do you manage an international trade mark over time?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After registration, watching the mark and keeping the portfolio up to date are essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The watch covers in particular new applications liable to conflict with the mark. Where such rights are identified, the company can file a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/lexicon\/opposition\/\">trade mark opposition<\/a> within the applicable deadlines. Where relevant, it will also need to keep evidence of use in order to demonstrate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/lexicon\/serious-use\/\">genuine use of the mark<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The portfolio also changes with the company: a change of owner, a licence or the opening of new markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Changes of ownership must be recorded in the register; opening new markets calls for an assessment of the rights portfolio and sometimes for additional filings. If the company then expands into another Madrid System member country, a <strong>subsequent designation<\/strong> extends protection to that territory without filing a new international mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, it is advisable, and sometimes mandatory, to record licences in the trade mark register.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Registration must also be renewed every <strong>ten years<\/strong> from the filing date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why get professional support to protect a trade mark internationally?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The support of an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/intellectual-property-law\/\">intellectual property lawyer<\/a> matters particularly when choosing between several filing routes, checking whether the mark is available in different countries, or adapting the specification to an international project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Internationally, the lawyer also steps in, above all, where a filing runs into difficulty: an objection from an office, an opposition from a third party, or the need to coordinate a local agent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They can also follow the portfolio over time and adapt protection as the company expands into new markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cabinet Bouchara &amp; Avocats helps you define and implement a filing strategy suited to your markets.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/contact\/\"><strong>Contact the firm.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>FAQ<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What if a foreign distributor files the mark in its own name?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You need to react quickly, because such a filing can block or complicate use of the mark in the country concerned. It will often be regarded as a filing made in bad faith against the supplier&#8217;s rights. The remedies nevertheless depend on local law, on the contract with the distributor, on earlier use of the mark and on the circumstances of the filing. An opposition, an invalidity action or, in some situations, a claim of ownership may be considered under the applicable law. Upstream, contracts with local partners should clearly settle ownership of the mark, and strategic filings are best anticipated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Can you wait until you start selling abroad before filing your trade mark?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is generally better to plan ahead. Waiting for the commercial launch can give a third party time to file an identical or similar name in the target country, which may then complicate the mark&#8217;s arrival on that market. In most countries, rights arise from filing rather than from use. Where certain territories have already been identified as priorities, it is strongly advisable to consider filing before the commercial launch, before signing a distribution agreement or before any significant communication around the mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Does an international trade mark protect domain names and social media accounts?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Filing a trade mark reserves neither the corresponding domain names nor social media handles. These are separate forms of protection, which should be thought through together when a brand expands abroad. Before a launch, it is therefore worth checking in parallel the availability of the mark, of the main domain names and of the social accounts, so that a third party does not register them ahead of the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Should the name and the logo be filed separately abroad?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That depends on what the company wants to protect. A word mark covers the name without claiming any particular graphic presentation, whereas a figurative mark covers the logo in the form filed. Where the name is the main asset and the visual identity is likely to change, a word mark generally offers more flexibility. Where the logo also carries strong and lasting value, a separate filing may be worthwhile, with the additional cost that entails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sources<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>French Intellectual Property Code \u2013 Articles R. 717-1 to R. 717-8 on international trade marks<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A launch abroad, the signing of a distribution agreement or the opening of a new market all make it necessary to think quickly about trade mark protection. A French trade mark protects French territory only. To secure its international development, a company must choose between several routes, in particular national filings, the European Union trade &#8230; <a title=\"International trade mark: how to protect your brand abroad?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/international-trade-mark\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about International trade mark: how to protect your brand abroad?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[210],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-brand-rights"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21980"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21980\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21983,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21980\/revisions\/21983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cabinetbouchara.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}