IP/N/1/AUS/8, IP/N/1/AUS/C/17  
IP/N/1/AUS/D/6, IP/N/1/AUS/P/11  
IP/N/1/AUS/T/10  
1 October 2015  
(15-5075)  Page: 1/5  
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights  Original: English  
 
 
NOTIFICATION OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS 
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT 
AUSTRALIA: THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS AMENDMENT ACT 2015 
Notifying Member A USTRALIA  
 
 Details of the notified legal text 
 
Title  
 The Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Act 2015 ("Amendment Act") 
and its schedules  
 
Subject matter Patents 
Designs 
Trademarks Copyright (Schedule 5)  
Nature of notification  Main dedicated intellectual property law or regulation  
  Other law or regulation 
 
Link to legal text http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/IP/AUS/15_3549_00_e.pdf  
 
Notification status  First notification 
 Amendment or revision to notified legal text 
 Replacement or consolidation of notified legal text(s) 
 
Previous 
notification(s) referred to Patents Act 1990  (IP/N/1/AUS/P/1) 
"https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSour
ce=Cat&query=@SymbolMa tch=IP/N/1/AUS/P/1&Language=English&Cont
ext=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
Plant Breeders' Act 1994  (IP/N/1/AUS/P/2) 
https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSourc
e=Cat&query=@SymbolMatch=IP/N/1/AUS/P/2&Language=English&Conte
xt=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
Designs Act 2003  (IP/N/1/AUS/D/5) 
https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSourc
e=Cat&query=@SymbolMatch=IP/N/1/AUS/D/5&Language=English&Conte
xt=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
Trademarks Act 1995  (IP/N/1/AUS/T/1 – consolidated in IP/N/1/AUS/T/3 
and IP/N/1/AUS/T/3/Add.1)  
https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSourc
e=Cat&query=@SymbolMatch=IP/N/1/AUS/T/3*&Language=English&Cont
ext=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 IP/N/1/AUS/8 • IP/N/1/AUS/C/17 • IP/N/1/AUS /D/6 • IP/N/1/AUS/P/ 11 • IP/N/1/AUS/T/10 
 
- 2 - 
 
   IP Raising the Bar Act 2012  (IP/N/1/AUS/C/7) 
https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSourc
e=Cat&query=@SymbolMatch=IP/N/1/AUS/C/7&Language=English&Conte
xt=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
Patent Regulations 1991  (IP/N/1/AUS/P/6 and Addenda) 
"https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSour
ce=Cat&query=@SymbolMa tch=IP/N/1/AUS/P/6*&Language=English&Con
text=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# ";  
 
IP/N/1/AUS/P/7 https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSourc
e=Cat&query=@SymbolMatch=IP/N/1/AUS/P/7&Language=English&Conte
xt=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
IP/N/1/AUS/P/8 
https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSourc
e=Cat&query=@SymbolMatch=IP/N/1/AUS/P/8&Language=English&Conte
xt=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
IP/N/1/AUS/P/9 https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSourc
e=Cat&query=@SymbolMatch=IP/N/1/AUS/P/9&Language=English&Conte
xt=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
IP/N/1/AUS/P/10 
https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSourc
e=Cat&query=@SymbolMatch=IP/N/1/AUS/P/10&Language=English&Cont
ext=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
Designs Regulations 2004  (IP/N/1/AUS/D/4 and Addenda) 
"https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSour
ce=Cat&query=@SymbolMa tch=IP/N/1/AUS/D/4*&Language=English&Con
text=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
Trademark Regulation 1995  (IP/N/1/AUS/T/4 and Addenda) 
"https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSour
ce=Cat&query=@SymbolMa tch=IP/N/1/AUS/T/4*&Language=English&Con
text=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# ";  
 
IP/N/1/AUS/T/8 https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSourc
e=Cat&query=@SymbolMatch=IP/N/1/AUS/T/8&Language=English&Conte
xt=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
IP/N/1/AUS/T/9 
https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S006.aspx?DataSourc
e=Cat&query=@SymbolMatch=IP/N/1/AUS/T/9&Language=English&Conte
xt=ScriptedSearches&languageUIChanged=true# " 
 
Brief description of the notified legal text  
 
Implementation of the TRIPS Protocol  and the 2003 General Council Decision 
(WT/L/540 and WT/L/540/Corr.1)  
Schedules 1 and 2 further implement the TRIPS Pr otocol, which Australia formally accepted on 
12 September 2007.  IP/N/1/AUS/8 • IP/N/1/AUS/C/17 • IP/N/1/AUS /D/6 • IP/N/1/AUS/P/ 11 • IP/N/1/AUS/T/10 
 
- 3 - 
 
  Schedule 1 of the Amendment Act amends the Patents Act 1990  to allow Australian 
pharmaceutical manufacturers to supply developing countries that meet specified criteria with the patented medicines they need. 
 
Under the new scheme, Australian laboratories w ill be able to apply to the Federal Court of 
Australia for a compulsory licence to manufacture generic versions of patented medicines under 
specific conditions, and export these medicines to developing countries. Adequate compensation 
for the patent holder will be negotiated, to ensure that they are no t disadvantaged by the 
arrangements.  
 
The scheme is designed to be as easy to use as possible and is open to all developing countries 
provided they meet specified criteria.  
Schedule 2 of the Amendment Act will amend the Patents Act 1990  to replace references to the 
interim waiver to the TRIPS Protocol as reflected in the WTO General Council Decision of 30 August 2003 on the Implementation of Paragr aph 6 of the Doha Declaration of the TRIPS 
Agreement and Public Health (WT/L/540 and WT/L/540/Corr.1) with references to the TRIPS 
Protocol once it enters into force.  
Jurisdictional option in relation to plant breeder's rights  Schedule 3 of the Amendment Act amends the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994  to extend the 
jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia to include plant breeder's rights matters.  
 
The Federal Circuit Court is designed to deal with less complex matters more quickly and informally than the Federal Court of Australia. This amendment will give the owners of plant 
breeder's rights the option of taking action in the Federal Circuit Court against alleged infringers. 
 
Australia New Zealand Single Econom ic Market – patent initiatives  
 
Schedule 4 amends the Designs Act 2003 , the Patents Act 1990 , the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 
1994 and the Trade Marks Act 1995  to implement single trans-Tasman patent application and 
examination processes as well as a bilatera l arrangement between the Australian and New 
Zealand Governments for the trans-Tasman regulation of patent attorneys.  
 T h i s  a r r a n g e m e n t  w i l l  c o m e  i n t o  e f f e c t  o n c e  b o t h  c o u n t r i e s  a r e  a b l e  t o  g i v e  e f f e c t  t o  i t .  
Accordingly, sufficient time is required for each country to make the necessary amendments to 
legislation.  
Other amendments  Part 1 (Items 1-7) of Schedule 5 of the Amen dment Act makes minor administrative changes to 
the Patents Act 1990 , Trade Marks Act 1995  and Designs Act 2003  to repeal unnecessary 
document retention provisions. These provisions currently require IP Australia to physically retain 
patent, trademarks and designs documents for an  extended period of time. The retention and 
disposal of these documents is already comprehensively governed by the Archives Act 1983  and 
the records disposal authorities issued by the National Archives of Australia. 
 
Part 2 (Items 8-22) of Schedule 5 of the Amendment Act makes a number of technical 
amendments to the Patents Act 1990  primarily to address minor oversights in the drafting of the 
Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012 . This Act introduced a wide 
range of intellectual property reforms designed to help Australian businesses and researchers. It 
entered into full effect on 15 April 2013.  
 
Language(s) of 
notified text English 
 IP/N/1/AUS/8 • IP/N/1/AUS/C/17 • IP/N/1/AUS /D/6 • IP/N/1/AUS/P/ 11 • IP/N/1/AUS/T/10 
 
- 4 - 
 
  Date of adoption Implementation of the TRIPS Protocol and the 2003 General 
Council Decision (WT/L/540 and WT/L/540/Corr.1)  
Schedule 2 of the Amendment Act will enter into force when two thirds of 
WTO Members accept the Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement ('TRIPS Protocol'). This Protocol was adopted in Geneva on 6 December 2005 and 
remains open to be accepted according to the WTO General Council 
decision of 27 November 2013 (WT/L/899).  
Entry into force Implementation of the TRIPS Protocol and the 2003 General 
Council Decision (WT/L/540 and WT/L/540/Corr.1)  
Schedule 1  of the Amendment Act will enter into force on 
25 August 2015.    
Schedule 2 of the Amendment Act will enter into force when two thirds of 
WTO Members accept the Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement ('TRIPS Protocol'). This Protocol was adopted in Geneva on 6 December 2005 and 
remains open to be accepted according to the WTO General Council 
decision of 27 November 2013 (WT/L/899).  
 Jurisdictional option in relation to plant breeder's rights 
 
Schedule 3  of the Amendment Act will enter into force on 
25 August 2015. 
 
 Australia New Zealand Single Econom ic Market – patent initiatives  
 
Schedule 4  of the Amendment Act has not yet commenced. It is intended 
to commence on a single date to be fixed by proclamation on or before 
24 February 2017.  
Schedule 4 will be notified under Article 63.2 of the TRIPS Agreement, 
once it is proclaimed to be into effect.  
This arrangement will come into effect once both countries are able to give 
effect to it. Accordingly, sufficient time is required for each country to make the necessary amendments to legislation. 
  
 Other amendments  
 Parts of Schedule 5  of the Amendment Act will enter into force on 
different dates, as set out below. 
 
 Part 1 commenced on 26 February 2015. 
 
 Schedule 5, item 8 commenced on 15 April 2013.  
 
 Schedule 5, items 9-17 will commence on a single day to be fixed by 
proclamation but will, in any case, commence no later than 25 August 2015. 
 
  Schedule 5, item 18 commenced on 15 April 2013. 
  Schedule 5, items 19-21 will commence on a single day to be fixed 
by proclamation but will, in any case, commence no later than 
25 August 2015. 
 
 Schedule 5, item 22 commenced on 25 February 2015. 
 
 IP/N/1/AUS/8 • IP/N/1/AUS/C/17 • IP/N/1/AUS /D/6 • IP/N/1/AUS/P/ 11 • IP/N/1/AUS/T/10 
 
- 5 - 
 
  Notification details 
 
Submission date 
of notification  3 September 2015 
Other information  
 The Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Act 2015  and its schedules are 
also available at:  https://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2015A00008  
 
Agency or 
authority 
responsible IP Australia 
PO Box 200 
Woden ACT 2606 
 
Telephone: +61 2 6283 2999