Australia adopts the Madrid Goods and Services list

Australian IP Office will replace the current Trade Marks Goods and Services list (the AU picklist) with the Madrid Goods and Services (MGS) list in 2024.

The MGS list is a database of terms used to classify goods and services for trade mark applications in the Madrid System. It's used by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and many international trade mark offices. It contains a wider range of terms than the AU picklist.

Adopting the MGS list will align Australian classification standards with international best practice. This change will make it easier for Australian exporters to protect their trade marks in other countries.

This change is expected to take place in March 2024. At that time, Australian IP Office will also introduce a semantic search function. This update will help customers find terms on the MGS list that have a similar meaning to the term they're looking for. This makes searching the MGS list easier and ensures a seamless transition from the AU picklist.

The Australian Government Agency for Intellectual Property will engage with customers in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition to the new system.

The new system will help reduce the number of issues for Australians filing internationally and provide access to a more comprehensive database of trade mark classification terms.