From November 17 to 20, 2025, intellectual property (IP) officials from across the Asia-Pacific region met for a ninth regional meeting on the Madrid System. The event – organized with support from Funds-In-Trust (FIT) Japan Industrial Property Global – attracted 80 participants from 14 countries:
- Madrid System members: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Samoa, Singapore, and Thailand
- Non-Madrid System members: Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, and Tonga
Key objectives and topics
The meeting aimed to discuss operational challenges, promote the Madrid System, and facilitate knowledge sharing through best practice exchanges.
Ms. Debbie Roenning, Director of the Madrid Legal Division at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and Mr. Sasaki Yugen, Deputy Director of the Trademark Policy Section at the Japan Patent Office (JPO) opened proceedings.
Throughout the four-day meeting, experts emphasized the importance of electronic communications and enhanced promotional strategies.
Sessions included:
- Recent updates from non-Madrid System members
- Experience sharing from Madrid System members
- Classification of goods and services, and
- IT system developments
The program also featured an end-user feedback session, with speakers from the International Trademark Association (INTA), Japan Intellectual Property Association (JIPA), and MARQUES - Association of European Trademark Owners.
Participants exchanged valuable insights on practical implementation challenges and reaffirmed their commitment to developing effective solutions.