On February 24, 2021, WIPO published the announcement of Pakistan’s (Islamic Republic of Pakistan) accession to the Madrid Protocol. This Asian country is the 124th member of the Madrid System. It has, of course, joined through the Madrid Protocol, and its accession is expected to take effect on May 24, 2021.
Strategically located on the Asian continent, between India, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, China, Iran, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Oman, it is a country that has historically played a vital role in global trade and also has one of the largest and most diverse populations in the world. Despite its political and economic instability, it has grown considerably in recent years, ranking among Asia’s leading economies.
Foreign investment, at least until the COVID-19 era, had been a key driver of Pakistan’s economic development, and Pakistan’s accession to the Madrid System will undoubtedly go a long way toward simplifying the procedures for protecting the trademark rights of foreign companies and economic operators in the country once the global economic flow stabilizes.
Author: Cristina Arroyo