Madrid System Users unite! You have nothing to lose but your delays...

No stranger to early mornings, the IPKat reported in the course of his INTA escapades on the breakfast meeting of the LinkedIn Madrid Protocol Group, at which a group of seriously concerned trade mark practitioners expressed their anxieties concerning certain facets of the operation of the international trade mark registration system. One of the post-INTA developments is the formation of a Madrid System Users' Google Group (email madrid-system-users-group@googlegroups.com) to enable members to exchange information more swiftly and efficiently with one another. Announcing this development, Alfred Strahlberg writes:

"As discussed at the breakfast meeting, users of the Madrid system are encountering lengthy delays of up to 12 months and more in recording changes. After 18 months I am still waiting for basic typographical errors to be rectified by WIPO in connection with six international registrations. In the Files section I have attached an example of a delayed case involving IR 975173, requesting the deletion of electric hair dryers, which was received by WIPO on December 9, 2008 whose recordal is not even pending. The same limitation relating to a CTM application was recorded within a few weeks at OHIM. Petitions to limit the specification of IR 875647 MYCOSMOS and 862157 mycosmos (fig.) that were requested by fax on March 20, 2008 and acknowledged by WIPO have also not been actioned. These delays are unacceptable.

Obviously WIPO does not have sufficient staff and needs to get its act together from an IT point of view.

Members are invited to send me examples of delayed recordals.

I have for years advocated the electronic filing of recordals via the WIPO website that would reduce the turnaround time.

I have written to Judith Zahra, Officer-in charge of the International Registrations Division at WIPO, asking her what is being done to shorten the backlog".

If you'd like to share your experiences with the Group, as well as any bright ideas for making Madrid easier and more enjoyable to use, please feel free to do so. If you need to communicate with Alfred, you can email him here. 

Delays here and here
The Great Delayer here
Lay Lay Delay here