COLOMBIA: The Madrid Protocol is now a reality.

On June 29, 2011 the Colombian Congress approved Act 1455, by which the Madrid Protocol comes into effect in such country.

Colombia is now part of this treaty along with 84 other countries such as: Germany, Spain, USA, China, Israel, Japan, Cuba, UK, Switzerland, Korea, Russia, UE, France, etc. Internal steps are yet to be taken for a full validity of the Act.

This would be the second Latin American jurisdiction (after Cuba) to enforce the Madrid Protocol, when traditionally, most Latin American countries refuse to be part of it.

The basis of their rejection is the inconvenience to their nationals, disadvantage to domestic marks and major constitutional issues incompatible with the Treaty.

Rumor has it that Brazil, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica are in the same process and will soon be included in the list.