Trademark registration as a tool to promote Kazakhstani brands on the international market

In the course of an enterprise's activities, it may become necessary to register a trademark abroad. This may be associated with entering the international arena, exporting goods or services to foreign countries, etc.

Why register a trademark abroad?

International trademark registration is critical if you plan to do business in a foreign country, as the trademark protects against the sale of counterfeits by unscrupulous competitors.

Also, the trademark owner will be sure that no other third party trademark confusingly similar to his trademark is registered in this market, which eliminates possible obstacles to importation, as well as to the sale of the owner's goods.

In addition, a business that wants to develop under the franchise model must have a protected brand. International registration simplifies the search for partners, gives confidence in business security and opens up new horizons.

Benefits:

Having a registered trademark in a foreign country plays an important role as:

• Provides legal protection for the brand in different countries.
• Increases consumer confidence by creating an image of a reliable company.
• Allows you to effectively combat counterfeit products.
• Opens up opportunities for franchising and affiliate programs.

What are some ways of international registration?

There are three possible ways to register a trademark abroad:

The national route is to apply directly to the national office of the country.

Regional route - applying to a regional system that is formed by certain countries.

International Route (Madrid System) - filing of a single application with the possibility of seeking protection in all countries participating in the Madrid System.

The choice of one path or the other may depend on preference, resources and the specifics of trademark registration abroad.

The Madrid System is a convenient and cost-effective mechanism for registering and managing trademarks worldwide. By filing one international trademark application and paying one set of fees, protection can be sought in 131 countries.

From 1993 to 2024, Kazakhstan applicants filed more than 1600 trademarks in foreign countries under the Madrid system.

The conditions for filing an international application under the Madrid system are:

• Have a filed national application or registered trademark certificate;
• Be a citizen, or permanently reside or have a genuine and valid industrial or commercial enterprise in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Examples of well-known Kazakhstan trademarks registered in foreign countries are:

Detailed information on filing an application for international trademark registration can be found in the section “International trademark registration” on the website qazpatent.kz.