Common Horizon – Professional Workshop and Bilateral Consultations with the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Madrid System Market Participants

On February 24, 2026, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in cooperation with the Hungarian Trademark Association and the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO), held an awareness raising workshop “protecting your brand globally for high growth industries”, especially Food & Beverage, Pharmaceuticals, and Consumer Brand leaders: leveraging the madrid system for international market expansion. 

Within this framework, the recent and possible future legal changes in the Madrid system, the current filing behavior and trends, and the optimization protection abroad using the Madrid system, such as the eMadrid electronic system and its functions, were presented. In addition, we gained insight into the application of the "replacement" function developed to consolidate national rights with international rights. 

On the workshop was attended by a large number of market participants, who asked many questions after the presentations and expressed their appreciation for the IT developments in the Madrid system, the legal changes beneficial to applicants, and the simplification of international trade mark procedures. 

Bilateral meetings between Hungarian clients and WIPO took place on February 25, where WIPO, HIPO and 7 smaller and larger Hungarian companies with international trademark portfolios held discussions on the use of the Madrid system, its advantages and expected future changes.  All participants were very grateful for the opportunity to share their experiences in person and receive answers to their questions from WIPO experts on site. 

In addition to our clients, both the professional workshop and the bilateral meetings were very useful for the Hungarian Office, as we were able to discuss issues that could make our official procedures related to international trademark applications simpler and more transparent in the future with the support and cooperation of WIPO.  WIPO experts will continue to provide the Office with all the assistance it needs to develop the Madrid system with WIPO's support, in order to simplify our procedures, and promote it to as many Hungarian clients as possible. To this end, the Office will continue its professional discussions with WIPO aimed at promoting the Madrid System so that even more clients can learn about the international trademark application procedure and share their experiences and expectations regarding the Madrid System. 

We would like to thank the staff of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Debbie Roenning, Legal Director of the Madrid Registry Division, and Virág Halgand, Head of Section for Central European and Baltic States and Mediterranean Countries, for supporting the realization of the program through their presentations and participation. 

Photo: Fanni Lilla Szakács