The proposed union of the Madrid and Community trademark systems

By adding the United States to its list of members, the Madrid Protocol
has gained some credibility as an international system for trademark registration.
Adding Spanish as the protocol's third official language is expected to attract
Latin American countries, which would help make it a genuinely global system.
A more important development in the near future, however, is the proposed link
to the Community trademark system. Alfred M Strahlberg, European Trademark &
Design Attorney, of Strahlberg & Partners in Wabern/Berne, Switzerland,
looks at the practical implications of such a link for both international and
Community trademark holders.