Euro-Counsels

During the year 2005, the growth trend of the Madrid system observed in previous years was maintained and surpassed. Some 33,565 international trademark applications were filed, which represents a 13.9% growth compared to the year 2004. At the same time, 33,170 international registrations were recorded, which represents a 41.9% increase compared to 2004. This is by far the highest number of registrations ever recorded in one year under the Madrid system.

The largest share of the international trademark applications received by WIPO in 2005 was filed by users in Germany (5,802 or 17.3% of the total), followed by users in France with 3,497 international applications (10.4%), the United States of America 2,847 (8.5%), Benelux 2,426 (7.2%), Italy 2,340 (7%), Switzerland 2,235 (6.7%), the European Community 1,852 (5.5%) and China 1,334 (4%). These figures relate to international applications filed through the trademark offices of the members concerned.

It is interesting to note the significant rise (30.6%) in the level of trademark applications from developing country members of the system as compared to 2004. International trademark applications from developing countries represented 5.3% of the total number received in 2005. The top filers from developing countries were: China (1,334 applications), Republic of Korea (148), Singapore (137), Morocco (66), Viet Nam (34) and the Islamic Republic of Iran (31). China also unseated Switzerland as the most designated country in international trademark applications).

With respect to the ownership of international trademarks, the top 20 users of the Madrid system in 2005 were Hofer (Austria), Lidl Stiftung & Co (Germany), Janssen Pharmaceutica (Belgium), Deutsche Telekom AG (Germany), Henkel (Germany), Novartis (Switzerland), Aldi (Germany), Siemens (Germany), Nestlé (Switzerland), Bosch (Germany), Beiersdorf (Germany), Krka (Slovenia), Barilla (Italy), Unilever (Netherlands), Solvay (Belgium), L’Oréal (France), Plus Warenhandelsgesellschaft (Germany), Altana Pharma (Germany), ITM Entreprises (France) and Parfums Christian Dior (France).