Agreement of Madrid in relation with the International Registration of Trademarks (1891). This Agreement provides the possibility to obtain protection of a trademark in all member countries (on January 1, 1997, 46 states were members).

In order to profit from the advantages of the Agreement, the applicant has to register his trademark first in the country of origin and subsequently file the international registration by means of the National Office.

The WIPO-office in Geneva then publishes the trademark in the "Gazette des Marques Internationales". Posteriorly each country in which the applicant wishes protection, will be able to decide in a one year's term whether to grant protection in its territory or not. In case of refusal, the WIPO will issue the correspondent notification, otherwise the trademark will be considered to be granted. The protocol of the Agreement of Madrid (1989).

The protocol took effect on April 1, 1996, and was approved with the purpose of introducing new characteristics into the existing registration system of international trademarks. The protocol is open to the member countries of the Paris Convention and to certain intergovernmental organisations. Said convention introduces the following principal innovations:

An International trademark application can be based not only on the registered trademark, but also on an application.
Every country can decree a refusal of protection of the trademark in its territory within an 18 months' term (instead of a one year's term).
Applications can be filed not only in French, but also in English language.
Presently the protocol of Madrid includes 18 countries.

In the area of the Trademark registration Coddan offers the following service to his customers. Search for detecting similarities before filing a trademark:

Database of the Spanish Trademarks Office
Database of the Community trademarks filed at the OHIM
Database of the international trademarks designating SPAIN
Database of international lines
Assistance with the preparation of Community Trademark applications
Filing and prosecution of Community Trademark applications
Filing and prosecution of international trademark applications (WIPO)
Database for status checks on files
Control of new trademark application.