International trade mark and design filings up

14th Feb 2023

Applications in 2022 filed via the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) for trade marks and designs designating the UK are up, according to the latest official UK IPO data.

R in a circle on a blue background

Trade marks designating the UK, filed using the Madrid System, saw a 6% year-on-year increase in 2022 compared to 2021.

Designs filed by via the Hague System that designated the UK were up by 23% year-on-year.

Following the UK’s exit from the EU, 2021 saw a surge in international filings for trade marks and designs, with a year-on-year increase of 79% and 112% respectively.

This is counter to the domestic filing numbers, which saw a year-on-year decline in 2022. With domestic trade mark applications down by 24% and designs falling by 12%.  

Click here to download the full dataset from the UK IPO

Year

Trade mark – Madrid applications (UK)

Designs – Hague applications (UK)

2018

11,115

263

2019

17,076 (54% increase)

3,345 (1,172%)

2020

18,247 (7%)

5,231 (56%)

2021

32,647 (79%)

11,095 (112%)

2022

34,705 (6%)

13,608 (23%)

We will be analysing the full trade mark data in the next issue of CITMA Review, due to be published towards the end of February 2023.

Administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the Madrid System allows applicants who have applied for or registered a trade mark in their own country to apply for the corresponding trade mark in some, or all, of the countries who have signed up to the system.

The Hague System works in a similar way for the international registration of designs.

Once filed, each individual country then has up to 18 months to conduct its own examination and raise any objections.