⌗ Service
International Trademark Registration — Madrid Protocol and EUIPO
- Duration
- 12–24 months (varies by country)
- Official Fee
- WIPO basic fee + per-country fees
When you export, package not only your product but also your work. Entering foreign markets without your trademark registered means risking a preliminary injunction at customs and competitors registering your name in their country.
§1 Three main routes
Madrid Protocol: A single WIPO application opens the door to registration in up to 127 member states. A Turkish base application or registration is required first. The route is fast and centrally managed; however, if the base mark is cancelled within 5 years, the entire international registration falls with it (the "central attack" rule).
EUTM (EUIPO): A single application valid across all 27 EU member states. Filed with EUIPO in Alicante. One certificate → protection across 27 jurisdictions. Highly economical for exporters to the EU.
Direct national filings: A separate application before each target country's IP office. Used when Madrid does not work (single target + non-Madrid member, for example).
§2 Comparison
| Route | Countries | Process | Cost | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid Protocol | 127 members | Fast, centralised | Low (single filing) | Central attack |
| EUTM | 27 EU states | 6–9 months | Medium | A single EU opposition takes down all 27 |
| Direct national | 1+ | Variable | High | Each country's own procedure |
§3 Process (Madrid)
- Turkish base trademark application or registration
- WIPO application (filed through the national office) + designation of countries
- WIPO formal examination (~3 months)
- Each designated country examines under its own timeline (12–18 months)
- Separate registration or refusal notification from each country
- Renewal: a single WIPO renewal covers all designations (every 10 years)
§4 State support
Under the Turkish Ministry of Trade's Overseas Trademark Registration Support programme, exporting SMEs and companies can receive reimbursement of up to USD 50,000 per trademark (subject to annual limits). At Asil we run the Madrid filing in parallel with your Ministry of Trade file.
Detailed matching: Incentive Guide →
§5 Anonymised case
A food producer in Kayseri filed a Madrid Protocol application in 2018 designating 12 EU member states. A distributor in Germany attempted to register the same mark in its own name; our Madrid record was sufficient evidence. The client now exports regularly to those same 12 countries.
— Salih Aksebzeci, from a 2019 file (anonymised)
§6 FAQ
Eight questions cover the Madrid grace period, single-opposition risk in EUTM, design overlap at EU borders, joint filing with KOSGEB, customs enforcement, and more…
Sources
- WIPO Madrid Protocol (1989, last updated 2024)
- EUIPO Trade Mark Regulation (EU) 2017/1001
- Turkish Ministry of Trade — Overseas Trademark Registration Support Communiqué
Author: Salih Aksebzeci · TÜRKPATENT Agent Registry No. 188 · Last updated: 2026-05-14
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