# Multilateral IP systems

WIPO-administered international systems that sit above national and regional offices.
A single filing extends protection to designated members. **All are opt-in** — national
filings outside a multilateral system are not covered transitively.

## Synopses in this folder

| System | Coverage | Members | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|
| **PCT** | International patent applications | ~150 designated countries | [wipo-patentscope.md](wipo-patentscope.md) |
| **Madrid** | International trademarks | 116 members / 132 countries | [wipo-madrid.md](wipo-madrid.md) |
| **Hague** | International designs | 79 contracting parties / 96 countries | [wipo-hague.md](wipo-hague.md) |
| **WIPO Lex** | Statutes / treaties / judgments | ~200 jurisdictions | [wipo-lex.md](wipo-lex.md) |
| **Global Brand Database** | Madrid IRs + national TM federation | ~75 contributing offices | [wipo-global-brand-db.md](wipo-global-brand-db.md) |
| **Global Design Database** | Hague IRs + national design federation | ~30 contributing offices | [wipo-global-design-db.md](wipo-global-design-db.md) |

## Layer-level note

The multilateral layer is **partial coverage**, not full coverage. A US-only
trademark filed at USPTO with no Madrid designation is not in Madrid. A
PCT application that never enters national phase is in PATENTSCOPE but
nowhere else.

For the substitution rules describing when multilateral coverage suffices
vs. when a national connector is still required, see
[`../COVERAGE_STRATEGY.md`](../COVERAGE_STRATEGY.md) §3 (coverage matrix)
and §6 (substitution rules).
