Posted on August 26, 2026
Brand owners with an interest in Jersey need to be aware that trade mark protection in that territory has changed.
From 1 August 2026, Jersey has introduced a standalone national trade mark system and will no longer operate solely through the extension or re-registration of UK trade mark rights. Jersey will also become an independent designation under the Madrid Protocol (International) Trade Mark system. This means that, from now on, protection in Jersey will need to be considered separately from protection in the United Kingdom.
What has changed
Under the old system, prior to 1 August 2026, protection in the UK could be obtained by re-registration of a corresponding UK Registration, or by designating the UK in an Application under the Madrid Protocol (International) Trade Mark system.
Under the new system, trade mark protection in Jersey can now be obtained in two ways:
- by filing a national trade mark application directly with the Jersey Registry, or
- by designating Jersey separately under the Madrid Protocol.
A UK national registration or a UK designation under an international registration will no longer automatically provide new protection in Jersey. Trade mark registrations and designations in Jersey will be fully independent of any corresponding UK rights.
What happens to existing rights
The Jersey Registry is expected to treat existing re-registered marks as national rights under the new system, without changing the existing number format.
For International Registrations designating the UK before 1 August 2026, where protection had already been granted in the UK, a separate Jersey designation has been created as part of the transition process. Where the UK designation is still pending, the Jersey designation is expected to be created once protection has been granted in the UK. Once created, the Jersey designation will operate independently from the UK designation and will need to be maintained separately.
Please get in touch if you wish to discuss any of the issues raised above or any aspect of your trade mark use and protection. We are a European firm and assist our clients to protect their IP rights in the UK, Europe and worldwide from our offices in the UK and The Netherlands and through our international network of trusted local attorneys.
