On April 4th, 2022, Chile finally adhered to the Madrid Protocol, a process that came into force on July 4th, 2022.
The importance of this milestone lies in the fact that this system consists of a centralized registration method, which seeks to simplify the management of trademark portfolios when applying for registrations abroad, to expand the presence of said trademarks in the international market, and it is no longer necessary to hire the services of a representative in each country of destination to file applications. This is achieved through a worldwide process, which includes the countries in which the applicant designates, having as a requirement a base application or registrations in a country of origin that is adhered to the Madrid Protocol.
This means that both Chileans wishing to file registrations abroad and foreigners seeking to register trademarks in Chile may use this system to process their applications.
It should be noted that, although this system has certain advantages at the time of simplifying the processing, in no case it exempts from the fulfillment of the legal requirements of each country, therefore, it is always advisable to count on the advice of expert lawyers in Intellectual Property.
The fact that Chile has adhered to the Madrid Protocol is also good news for companies domiciled outside the national territory, since our country now appears as an option in the list of nations in which the company can make an international registration of its trademark.