Why International Trademark Searching Matters
If your business operates internationally or you plan to expand beyond the United States, an international trademark search helps identify potential conflicts in your target markets. Trademark rights are territorial — a mark registered in the U.S. does not automatically give you rights in other countries, and a mark that is clear in the U.S. may already be registered abroad.
International Trademark Databases
International trademark searches can cover the WIPO Global Brand Database, which aggregates trademark data from participating intellectual property offices worldwide, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) register for EU-wide trademarks, individual country trademark registers, and Madrid Protocol international registrations. The scope of your international search depends on where you plan to do business.
Our International Search Services
We can extend our clearance search to include international databases when your business has global operations or ambitions. If you need trademark protection outside the United States, we can also advise on international filing strategies including direct country filings and Madrid Protocol applications. Contact us to discuss the scope of international searching appropriate for your situation.
Filing Abroad: Madrid Protocol and National Applications
U.S. registration protects you in the United States. It does nothing in Canada, the EU, or anywhere else — trademark rights are territorial.
The Madrid Protocol lets you use a U.S. application or registration as the basis for a single international application through WIPO, designating any of the member countries. It is administratively efficient and cost-effective across multiple jurisdictions, with one significant vulnerability: for the first five years the international registration depends on the U.S. basic application. If that application fails, the international registration falls with it, a phenomenon known as central attack.
National applications filed directly in each country avoid that dependency and allow the filing to be tailored to local practice. They cost more and generally require local counsel in each jurisdiction.
Two timing points matter regardless of route. Many countries are strict first-to-file, so a delay can mean losing the mark to someone who filed first. And the Paris Convention gives you a six-month priority window from your U.S. filing date to file abroad while retaining that earlier date.