The number of countries now party to the Madrid Protocol system for the protection of trade marks internationally breaks the 100 mark! The OAPI became the 93rd Member and will accede to the Protocol on 5th March 2015. The OAPI comprises Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Comoro Islands, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger AND Senegal and Togo. The Madrid Protocol system is an extremely cost effective means by which to secure trade marks on a truly international stage. The beauty of the system is that it dispenses with overseas attorney fees at the point of application (often at all should no objections arise) thereby reducing costs significantly.