1. Does your country plan to accede to the Madrid Protocol?
Answer Yes. According to the AEC Blueprint , ASEAN Members Countries will access to the Madrid Protocol by 2015.
In order to access to the Madrid Protocol, The DIP had undertaken preparations. First of all, The accession, the request for accession was approved by the Parliament in 16 October 2012.
On the other hand, For the legislation, the DIP proposes the amending Trademark Act, by which we will be able to performs work tasks defined by the Madrid Protocol. It is now under the consideration of the Council of State, and supposed to be submitted to Parliament and enter into force by this year.
At the same time, for the promotion, we promotes the Madrid Protocol to the entrepreneurs support the Accession to the Madrid Protocol.
Also, we including myself, accompanied the representatives from Law Firms in Thailand to China, where we had occasion to learn that the Madrid Protocol will not cause the lost of revenues for them.
For the preparation other than 3 aspects mentioned. The research on how we should prepare to be a Member of the Madrid Protocol was done. The DIP has sent examiners for a study visit in other member countries for example, South Korea and Philippines.