The Madrid Union Assembly, meeting in Geneva from 7 to 15 July 2026, adopted amendments to four rules of the Madrid System that enter into force on 1 November 2026. The Madrid System reform of 2026 is modest on paper, mostly forms, e-mail addresses and privacy, but the same session kept two larger debates open: adding Portuguese as a working language and shortening the five-year “dependency” period. Both matter to brand owners in Latin America, Portuguese-speaking Africa and Europe who file through Madrid.
Update (October 2026): the draft report of the session, published by WIPO on 14 August 2026, records that Brazil called again for Portuguese to be approved, supported by Portugal and Guinea-Bissau, and that the European Union and India said they were open to, or supported, reducing the dependency period from five to three years. The Working Group will return to both topics at its 24th session, scheduled for 5 to 9 October 2026. WIPO, MM/A/60/3 Prov. and MM/LD/WG/24/1 Prov.
Key takeaways
- The Assembly adopted amendments to Rules 3, 18, 25 and 27 of the Regulations under the Madrid Protocol, in force on 1 November 2026.
- Changes to the e-mail address of a holder or representative become formally recordable, and the notice goes only to the holder or its representative.
- Cancelling a representative’s appointment will require the official form.
- Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Japanese and German remain under discussion as new languages; nothing was decided.
- Reducing dependency from five to three years is the main point of convergence, but it needs a diplomatic conference to amend the Protocol.
What did the Madrid Union Assembly adopt?
According to the Summary Report of the WIPO Assemblies (A/68/9, 15 July 2026), the Madrid Union Assembly took note of the Working Group report and adopted the rule amendments proposed in document MM/A/60/2 (31 March 2026):
| Rule | Change from 1 November 2026 | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|
| 3(6)(a) | Requests to cancel the recording of a representative must use the official form | No more free-form letters to remove a representative |
| 18(1)(c)(vi) | Reference to the opponent’s address deleted from irregular refusal notices | Editorial; the address has not been required since November 2023 |
| 25(1)(a)(iv) and (vi) | Changes to the e-mail address of the holder or representative listed as recordable changes | Keeps the contact details used for WIPO notices up to date |
| 25(2)(a)(vii) | Fee information required only where applicable | Editorial |
| 27(1)(a) | E-mail changes notified only to the holder or its representative | Privacy: offices of designated countries are not informed |
What does the Madrid System reform 2026 leave open?
The Working Group report (MM/A/60/1) lists the files still on the table: a possible obligation for designated offices to issue a national or regional certificate and to state the date from which use requirements run; a Republic of Moldova proposal on international applications by several applicants; and United Kingdom proposals for centralised replacement, partial renewal and subsequent designations in pending applications.
Portuguese and other languages
The Madrid System works in English, French and Spanish. In September 2024 Brazil, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe proposed adding Portuguese (MM/LD/WG/22/11), arguing that language barriers still deter users, especially small companies, in Portuguese-speaking countries. The proposal sits alongside those for Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Japanese and German, and an “International Registration Language Option” put forward by several delegations is also being studied.
Dependency and “central attack”
Under Article 6(3) of the Madrid Protocol, for five years an international registration depends on the basic mark at home: if that mark falls, the international registration falls with it, the so-called central attack. A WIPO consultation report (MM/LD/WG/23/6, August 2025) identifies a reduction to three years as a possible element of convergence, which would particularly help registrations based on a mere application. It also notes that the change requires amending the Protocol at a diplomatic conference. A group including Mexico, Chile, Ghana and the United States proposes going further, with a menu of options for each member (MM/LD/WG/23/13).
What this means for your business
- Before 1 November 2026, check that the e-mail addresses of holder and representative in your international registrations are correct, and record any change.
- If you change representative, plan to use the official form.
- Do not plan on a shorter dependency period yet: today the basic mark still has to survive five years.
- For Brazil, Mozambique, Cabo Verde or São Tomé and Príncipe, keep filing in English, French or Spanish and budget for local translations where needed.
Our Madrid and national trademark filing service reviews international portfolios against these changes, and our cross-border IP strategy team can weigh Madrid against national routes market by market.
Where companies get Madrid wrong
- Weak basic marks. An international registration based on a pending application that is later refused can lose every designation.
- Outdated contact details, so WIPO notices go to an old address or a former adviser.
- Assuming Madrid suits every market. Some offices raise refusals that need local counsel anyway.
- Missing the three-month window to transform a cancelled international registration into national applications.
A coordinated portfolio avoids these gaps: one team tracks the basic mark, the designations and the local responses together.
Frequently asked questions
When do the new Madrid rules apply?
The amendments to Rules 3, 18, 25 and 27 adopted by the Madrid Union Assembly in July 2026 enter into force on 1 November 2026. They mainly concern the official form to cancel a representative, the recording of e-mail address changes and privacy in the related notifications.
Will Portuguese become a Madrid System language?
Not yet. The proposal by Brazil, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe remains under discussion in the Working Group, together with proposals for Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Japanese and German. Until a decision is taken, applications must be filed in English, French or Spanish.
Has the dependency period been reduced to three years?
No. Article 6(3) of the Madrid Protocol still sets five years. Reducing it to three years is the option with most support in WIPO’s consultations, but it requires amending the Protocol at a diplomatic conference, which has not been convened.
Can IP Global Guard manage my international registrations under Madrid?
Yes. We prepare and coordinate international applications, designations and recordals through EUIPO or OEPM as office of origin, directly where our professionals are entitled to act and otherwise through qualified representatives, and we coordinate local correspondents for refusals in Latin America and Africa.
Keep your Madrid portfolio in order
IP Global Guard, the IP services line of META Channel Corporation Limited, manages Madrid and national portfolios across more than 25 jurisdictions in Europe, Latin America and Africa with one strategy and one billing relationship.
Send us the numbers of your international registrations and the markets you plan to add. We will check contact details, basic marks and renewal dates before the new rules apply. Ask us to review your Madrid portfolio.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects the position on the date of publication.
Sources
- WIPO, Assemblies of the Member States, Summary Report A/68/9 (15 July 2026)
- WIPO, MM/A/60/2, Proposed amendments to the Regulations (31 March 2026)
- WIPO, MM/A/60/1, Report on the Working Group (31 March 2026)
- WIPO, MM/LD/WG/22/11, Proposal on the Portuguese language (6 September 2024)
- WIPO, MM/LD/WG/23/6, Report on intersessional consultations on dependency (7 August 2025)
- WIPO, MM/LD/WG/23/13, Proposal to modernise the Madrid Protocol (17 September 2025)
- WIPO Lex, Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement (as amended on 12 November 2007)
- WIPO, MM/A/60/3 Prov., Draft report of the Madrid Union Assembly (14 August 2026)
- WIPO, MM/LD/WG/24/1 Prov., Draft agenda of the 24th session (24 July 2026)
