Singapore’s current Trademark Law came into effect on January 15, 1999. Registering a Singapore trademark is based on the first-to-use principle. The Singapore Trademark Law stipulates that a trademark refers to anything that can combine different goods and products in commerce. A mark (except certification mark) that distinguishes the service, can be expressed in writing and can be visually perceived. Singapore is a member of the Nice Agreement on the International Classification of Goods and Services, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Madrid Protocol.