International trademark registrations hit record in 2008, UN says

A record number of applications for international registration of trademarks were filed in 2008, though activity slowed in the second half of the year, the United Nations agency entrusted with protecting intellectual property rights said today.

The 42,075 applications filed last year under the 84-member Madrid system for the international registration of trademarks represented a 5.3 per cent rate of growth, according to a report by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

It said filing activity was stronger in the first six months of the year (plus 6.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2007) than in the second half of 2008 (plus 3.9 per cent) mirroring a slowdown in global economic conditions.

Francis Gurry, WIPO Director General, said that the continued growth in the use of the international trademark system underlines the pivotal importance of trademarks to business, particularly in challenging economic times.

“Trademarks play a key role in engendering consumer confidence, an important factor for businesses facing the challenges of the current economic slowdown,” he said, noting that trademarks enable companies to build and maintain their reputation in the market place and to add value to their commercial operations.

“Even in economically difficult times, businesses continue to recognize that a trademark is a smart investment in a company’s reputation and long-term sustainability,” he added.

WIPO said that applicants from Germany topped the list of top filers last year for the 16th consecutive year, followed by users in France, the United States, the European Community (EC), Switzerland, Italy, Benelux, China, Japan and Austria.

China remained the most designated country in international trademark applications followed by the Russian Federation, reflecting sustained interest by foreign companies in trading with those countries, the organization said.