Industrial property rights have territorial character. To obtain protection of your invention, utility model, trademark or design in multiple countries you need to apply for protection in these jurisdictions.

Many international agreements and treaties may help you to simplify procedure of obtainig protection for industrial property rights abroad.

For instance, Patent Cooperation Treaty provides a unified procedure for filing international patent applications to protect inventions in each state of the Patent Cooperation Union. A single filing of an international application made with a Receiving Office then results in a search performed by an International Searching Authority, accompanied by a written opinion on the patentability of the invention.

Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks as well as the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement facilitate the registration of trademarks in many jurisdictions around the world. Registration through the Madrid system creates a bundle of national rights able to be administered centrally.

Similar solution provides the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs allowing registering designs in different jurisdictions through filing single international application.

At the same time, very often you will need assistance of local experts for prosecution of you industrial proprty rights. In case of a trademark you may need assistance of local trademark attorney for responding to provisional refusal issued by particular Patent Office, or for filing an opposition agaist third party colliding right, or for recording a license agreement. In case of international patent application you will need assistance of local patent attorney in each country, where you wish to obtain patent.

Developing and implementing right strategy for ensuring proper protection of your industrial property right, choose of right local agent for performing the required task, central management of IP protfolio, central monitoring of outstanding deadlines, ... These supporting services will help you to save time and money when prosecuting your applications abroad.