Commerce Department, Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) issues this final rule to effectuate a nomenclature change by substituting generic terminology for references to particular electronic filing systems used to submit correspondence related to international applications originating with the United States under the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (Madrid Protocol). This amendment clarifies terminology without changing filing requirements or statutory obligations.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Commerce Patent and Trademark Office 37 CFR Part 7 [Docket No. PTO-T-2026-0166] RIN 0651-AD95 AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) issues this final rule to effectuate a nomenclature change by substituting generic terminology for references to particular electronic filing systems used to submit correspondence related to international applications originating with the United States under the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (Madrid Protocol). This amendment clarifies terminology without changing filing requirements or statutory obligations. DATES: This rule is effective July 15, 2026. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessica Ludeman, Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Examination Policy, at 571-272-7183 or TMFRNotices@uspto.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule amends 37 CFR part 7 to replace references to the USPTO's electronic filing system names, “Trademark Electronic Application System” and ( printed page 43340) “TEAS” with generic terminology for the filing systems used to submit documents as part of international applications and subsequent designations originating in the United States under the Madrid Protocol. The Madrid Protocol went into effect in the United States on November 2, 2003, and was implemented under 15 U.S.…
Citation: 91 FR 43339
