From today, 8 October 2026, the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks is in force for Saudi Arabia. Trade mark holders in other Madrid members can now designate Saudi Arabia in new international applications or extend existing international registrations to it through subsequent designation, while Saudi applicants can use a national basic application or registration to seek protection in other members through the Madrid System. According to the depositary notification issued by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Saudi Arabia deposited its instrument of accession on 8 July 2026 and the Protocol enters into force for it on 8 October.
Saudi Arabia made two declarations in its instrument: it extends the time limit for notifying refusals to 18 months, and refusals that may result from an opposition can be notified after that period; and it collects an individual fee, charged per class, instead of a share of the supplementary and complementary fees, with the amounts already published by WIPO in Information Notice No. 37/2026. Designating Saudi Arabia through Madrid does not mean automatic protection: the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property still examines the designation under national law.
J&C recommends that companies already planning to cover Saudi Arabia add it to new Madrid applications or record subsequent designations for existing international registrations now; before designating, they should search for earlier Saudi marks, check the wording of goods and services against local practice and arrange for a local representative to follow up any provisional refusal or opposition, and should not treat protection as final before the 18-month refusal period has run.
Source: www.wipo.int
