An Israeli trademark registration protects only in Israel. A business that sells abroad, sells on Amazon or plans to expand should consider protection in target countries too, ideally before a competitor does.
Two main routes
- National filing in each country: a separate application in each country, usually through a local attorney.
- International application under the Madrid Protocol: Israel is a member. Based on an Israeli application or registration, one application can be filed, in one language with a single fee, designating many countries. Each country examines the mark under its own law.
What is the difference?
The Madrid Protocol saves bureaucracy and allows central management of renewals and changes. On the other hand, for the first five years the international registration depends on the basic Israeli application or registration; if that is affected, the international registration may be too. In some countries, or where local adaptation is needed, a national filing may be better.
Priority
Under the Paris Convention, an applicant who filed in Israel can file in other member countries within six months and benefit from the Israeli filing date. So you can start in Israel and decide on other countries without losing priority.
How to choose countries
- Countries where you sell today or plan to sell.
- Countries where the product is manufactured.
- Markets with a high risk of copying.
Run availability searches in the target countries too, not only in Israel. See checks before registering.
Where do you go from here?
A good trademark is chosen, checked and registered correctly from the start. At Paz Israel & Co. Law Office we support businesses, startups and entrepreneurs with availability searches, class selection, filing, responding to the examiner and oppositions, as well as registration abroad and enforcement against infringers. For more information see our trademark registration page, or contact us to schedule a meeting in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem or Modi’in.
This article provides general information, is correct as of the time of writing, and does not constitute legal advice or a substitute for reviewing your specific circumstances.