Normally, trademarks are filed and registered on a country-by-country basis. Clearly, this can be very expensive. The good news is that recently some common filings, i.e., one filing protects you in multiple countries, are now available and will likely save you both in terms of time and money. While this is a great benefit to you from a cost standpoint there are some risks as well. You need to consult a professional regarding the risks of these common filings. One such common filing is in Europe. It is now possible to register one trademark with many of the countries in the European Union and secure protection throughout the majority of Europe. Additionally, you can now also file pursuant to the Madrid Agreement. The Madrid Protocol is the largest worldwide common filing allowing U.S. Registrants to register their trademark in over 100 different countries throughout the world. For more information on filing internationally please contact Richard Morris at Richard@4trademark.com.