By Hayley Hitch, Senior Associate and Registered Trade Mark Attorney at Matthews Folbigg Lawyers in our Intellectual Property Group
It is official – Australia has adopted the Madrid Goods and Services list for trade mark applications!
The Madrid Goods and Services list is a list administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (also known as WIPO). It is a significantly greater and more exhaustive list than Australia used prior.
IP Australia issued a release stating that “aligning Australian classification standards with international best practice reflects our customer-centric commitment to developing new ways to better support and engage with you.”
The Madrid Goods and Services list expands IP Australia’s existing classification list so that applicants have a broader range of descriptions to select from for classifying their goods and services.
Unfortunately though, it doesn’t mean that owners of registered trade marks can increase the goods and services assigned to their existing registrations.
However, the ability to use the Madrid Goods and Services list for new trade mark applications is a win for future trade mark applicants.
For Australian applicants who provide their services and export their goods to international customers, this change by IP Australia to adopt the Madrid Goods and Services list provides for a more efficient way to apply for, register and protect their trade marks within Australia and Internationally. By adopting the same classification list that WIPO uses, IP Australia is assisting its customers to simply choose one set of defined terms that can be used both nationally and internationally.
Contact us should you wish to consider applying for trade mark registration within Australia or internationally.
If you would like more information or advice in relation to intellectual property law, contact Hayley Hitch at hayleyh@matthewsfolbigg.com.au or the Principal of the Matthews Folbigg Intellectual Property Group, Simone Brew on simoneb@matthewsfolbigg.com.au.
