You have your export plan ready, a proven product, and your first contacts abroad. There is one detail many companies discover too late: your trademark registered in Argentina does not protect you outside the country. Taking a trademark international starts with securing it in every market where you are going to sell.
Trademark registration is territorial
A trademark granted by the INPI (Argentina’s National Institute of Industrial Property) gives exclusive rights throughout Argentina, and nowhere else. In Brazil, Chile, the United States, or Spain, the right belongs to whoever registers first under each country’s rules. If a third party gets there first, it can prevent you from using your own name, have your goods stopped at customs, or request the removal of your listings on online marketplaces.
That is why it is wise to plan international protection before you export, sign with a distributor, or show your brand at trade fairs abroad.
Step by step: protecting your trademark abroad
1. Secure your trademark in Argentina first
Your application with the INPI is the foundation of the strategy: it sets a date and allows you to claim priority in other countries. If you don’t have one yet, start by registering your trademark in Argentina.
2. Use the 6-month priority period
Argentina is a party to the Paris Convention. If you file your trademark in another member country within 6 months of your Argentine application, you can claim that date as your own: any application filed by a third party in the meantime ranks behind yours.
3. Choose the filing route for each market
- National route: an application with each country’s office, through a local agent and in the corresponding language.
- Regional routes: some offices cover several countries with a single registration. The most widely used is the European Union trademark (EUIPO), which provides protection in all 27 member states.
- Madrid System: an international application designating several countries. It is not currently available from Argentina (see below).
4. Check that the trademark is available in the target market
A trademark that is available in Argentina may be registered by someone else in the destination country. Before investing, run a clearance search in each market, and also check how the name sounds or reads in the local language.
5. Define the right classes
The Nice classes are international, but each office examines the description of goods and services in its own way. Tailoring the wording to each country avoids office actions and protects what you are actually going to sell.
What about the Madrid Protocol?
The Madrid Protocol, administered by WIPO, allows you to seek protection in many countries with a single international application based on a home trademark. It is used by the United States, the European Union, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia, among others.
Argentina has not yet joined. In September 2026, the Executive Branch announced that it will send the treaty to Congress together with other intellectual property agreements. Until Congress approves it and accession takes effect, an Argentine trademark cannot be used as the basis for an international application, and protection abroad is obtained through national or regional routes.
If accession moves forward, we will update this guide. In the meantime, what matters does not change: filing on time and in the right markets.
Common mistakes when taking a trademark international
- Waiting until you have sales abroad before registering.
- Letting the 6-month priority period expire.
- Registering only the logo or only the name when both are used in the market.
- Letting the distributor register the trademark in its own name.
- Failing to plan for the actual use each country requires to maintain the registration.
How we help you
Eguía’s International Department coordinates the protection of Argentine trademarks abroad together with correspondents in each country: searches in the target market, filing strategy, priority claims, and follow-up through to registration. Tell us which markets you want to reach and we will put the plan together.
Frequently asked questions
Does my trademark registered in Argentina protect me in other countries?
No. Registration is territorial: to have rights in another country, you need to register the trademark there, through the national or regional route.
Can I use the Madrid Protocol from Argentina?
Not yet. Argentina is not a member of the Madrid System; the treaty must be approved by Congress before it becomes available.
How long do I have to claim the priority of my Argentine application?
Six months from the filing date with the INPI, in any member country of the Paris Convention.
