Pakistan acceded to the Madrid Protocol on 24 February 2021, becoming the fourth SAARC country in the system. For anyone managing a South Asian trademark portfolio, it removed one more jurisdiction from the list requiring a separate national filing.
The accession
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan acceded on 24 February 2021, becoming the 108th member of the Madrid system. It joined India, Bhutan and Afghanistan as the fourth SAARC country to do so.
The accession entered into force on 24 May 2021.
What it enables
From that date, brand owners in Pakistan — whether small and medium-sized enterprises or international brands — can protect their marks across the Madrid system’s member territories by filing a single international application and paying a single set of fees at WIPO.
Equally, foreign brand owners and investors can obtain protection in Pakistan by designating it through the Madrid system, rather than instructing local counsel for a national filing.
The benefit runs both ways: it incentivises local brand owners to protect their marks abroad affordably, and attracts foreign investment by streamlining brand protection for rights holders entering the market.
The system
The Madrid system has recorded more than a million international trademark registrations since its inception in 1891, and provides a convenient and cost-effective route for owners worldwide. Trinidad and Tobago was the most recent accession before Pakistan.
For South Asian portfolios
The practical significance is in what it leaves. With Pakistan in, a regional filing programme can cover a substantial part of South Asia through Madrid designations — but not all of it.
Sri Lanka agreed to accede in 2017 and repeatedly deferred; the accession had still not taken effect. The Maldives is outside the system and has, until now, operated on cautionary notices rather than a register, though its new Trademarks Act creates a statutory registration system.
The risk in a Madrid-centred strategy is that the jurisdictions outside it get overlooked, precisely because the rest of the region is handled automatically through a single filing. A regional programme should list the non-Madrid countries explicitly and file nationally in each.
Verify current membership with WIPO before planning designations — the member list changes, and Sri Lanka’s position in particular may have moved.
The takeaways
- Pakistan acceded on 24 February 2021, in force from 24 May 2021.
- The fourth SAARC member after India, Bhutan and Afghanistan.
- Designate Pakistan through Madrid rather than filing nationally.
- Check what Madrid does not cover in the region, and file there separately.
Frequently asked questions
When did Pakistan join the Madrid Protocol? It acceded on 24 February 2021, with the accession entering into force on 24 May 2021.
Can I designate Pakistan in an international application? Yes, from 24 May 2021 — through a single international application filed with WIPO.
Which SAARC countries are in the Madrid system? India, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Sri Lanka’s long-planned accession had not taken effect, and the Maldives remains outside.
Does Madrid cover all of South Asia? No — several jurisdictions require national filings, which is why a regional programme should list non-Madrid countries explicitly.