WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
14 July 2004 
 
 (04-3020) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English 
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS 
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 24 February 2003, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of New Zealand. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
 In accordance with Article 63.2 of the TRIPS Agreement, attached is information concerning 
recent amendments to New Zealand laws and re gulations pertaining to the TRIPS Agreement.  
  Copies of the texts of these amending laws  and regulations are enclosed, together with 
explanatory background notes for each. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 2  
 
 NOTIFICATION OF AMENDMENTS TO LAWS AND REGULATIONS 
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Copyright 
 
Copyright Amendment Act 1999       
Copyright (Application to Other Countries) Amendment Order 2000  
Copyright Act Commencement Order 2000       
Patents  
Patents (Patent Cooperation Treaty)  Amendment Regulations 1999  
Patents Amendment Regulations 1999      
Patents Amendment Act 1999 Patents, Designs and Trademarks Convention Order 2000   
Patents (Patent Cooperation Treaty) Amendment Regulations 2001  
Patents (Patent Cooperation Treaty) Amendment Regulations 2002  
Patents Amendment Act 2002 
 
Plant Variety Rights 
 Plant Variety Rights Amendment Regulations 1999    Plant Variety Rights (Fees) Order 1999       
Plant Variety Rights Amendment Regulations 2001    
Plant Variety Rights (Fees) Amendment Order 2001    
 Layout Designs  
Layout Designs (Eligible Countries) Order 2000      
 
Designs 
 
Designs Amendment Regulations 1999      
 Trade Marks 
 Trade Marks Amendment Regulations 1999     Trade Marks (Border Protection and Transitional Applications ) Amendment Regulations 1999 
Trade Marks Amendment Act 1999  
Trade Marks Amendment Regulations 2000     
Trade Marks Amendment Act 1999 Commencement Order 2000   
Trade Marks Amendment Regulations 2001      
Trade Marks Act 2002  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 3 
 
 
  
NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 Name of legislation 
 Copyright Amendment Act 1999
1   
 
Type of legislation 
 Act of Parliament 
 
Date of entry into force  
14 October 1999 
 
Purpose of legislation 
 
The Amendment Act substituted a new section 201 into  the Act to provide that  the Governor-General 
may by Order in Council apply any provision or provisions of Part 9 of the Copyright Act 1994 to any 
entity specified in the order (whether a sate, part of a state, a territory for w hose international relations 
a state is responsible, a political union, an international organisation, or any other entity.  
 
Contact for enquiries  Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
1 See document IP/N/1/NZL/C/1/Add.3. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 4  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Copyright (Application to Other Countries) Amendment Order 2000
2 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
6 November 2000 
 Purpose of legislation  
The Amendment Order revoked the Copyright (Application to Other Countries) Order 1995. It also 
updated and replaced the list of entities in the Sche dules, which are convention countries referred to in 
sections 204 and 232 of the Copyright Act 1994. 
 Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
2 See document IP/N/1/NZL/C/3/Add.3.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 5 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Copyright Act Commencement Order 20003 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
13 November 2000 
 Purpose of legislation  
This Commencement Order brought into force section 27(1) of the Copyright Act 1994 on 1 April 
2001. Section 27(1) of the Act abolishes Crown copyright in the following: 
• Bills; 
• Acts; 
• Regulations 
• The New Zealand Parliamentary Debates; 
• Reports of Select Committees laid be fore the House of Representatives; 
• Judgements of courts and tribunals; 
• Reports of Royal commissions, commissions of inquiry, ministerial inquiries and statutory 
inquiries.  
 
Contact for enquiries  
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington NEW ZEALAND  
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
3 See document IP/N/1/NZL/C/1/Add.3. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 6  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Patents (Patent Co-operation Treaty) Amendment Regulations 1999
4   
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 Date of entry into force 
 31 May 1999  
Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 1 July 1999, prescribed a new scale of fees in respect of various matters under the Patents (Patent Cooperation Treaty) Regulations 1992.   
 
Contact for enquiries  Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
4 See document IP/N/1/NZL/P/1/Add.3.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 7 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Patents Amendment Regulations 19995 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
31 May 1999 
 Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 1 July 1999, prescribed a new scale of fees in respect of 
various matters under the Patents Regulations 1954. 
 Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
5 See document IP/N/1/NZL/P/2/Add.1. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 8  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Patents Amendment Act 1999
6 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Act of Parliament 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
14 October 1999 
 Purpose of legislation  
The Amendment Act clarified who is entitled to make an application under section 7(2) of the Patents 
Act 1953. The Act also substituted a new section 77 in to the Act to provide that the Governor-General 
may by Order in Council declare that any entity specif ied in the order that is a party to the agreement 
or arrangement or to which the agreement or arrangement applies (whether a state, part of a state, a 
territory for whose international relations a state is responsible, a political union, an international 
organisation, or any other entity) is, for the purposes  of all or any of the provisions of this Act, a 
convention country. 
 Contact for enquiries 
 Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
 
                                                      
6 See document IP/N/1/NZL/P/1/Add.2.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 9 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Patents, Designs and Trademarks Convention Order 20007 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
6 November 2000 
 Purpose of legislation  
The Convention Order revoked the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Convention Order 1999. It also 
provided that each of the countries named in a Schedule of the Act is a convention country for the purposes of all the provisions of the Patents Act 1953, the Designs Act 1953, and the Trade Marks 
Act 1953. This order also applied to Niue and Tokelau. 
 
Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
7 See document IP/N/1/NZL/I/1/Add.3. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 10  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Patents (Patent Cooperation Treaty) Amendment Regulations 2001
8 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
26 November 2001 
 Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 1 January 2002, removed the fee for the filing of an 
extension of time under regulation 3, which relates to the translation of documents into English. 
 
Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
8 See document IP/N/1/NZL/P/1/Add.3.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 11 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Patents (Patent Cooperation Treat y) Amendment Regulations 20029 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
25 February 2002 
 Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 1 April 2002, changed the time limits required to fulfil 
obligations under Article 22(1) of the Patents Cooperation Treaty and section 26G(1)(b) of the Patents Act 1953. 
 Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
9 See document IP/N/1/NZL/P/1/Add.3. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 12  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Patents Amendment Act 2002
10 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Act of Parliament 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
19 December 2002 
 Purpose of legislation  
The Act inserted a new section 68B into the Patent s Act 1953 to provide for a regulatory review 
exception. This provides that it is not an infringeme nt of a patent for a person to make, use, exercise, 
or vend the invention concerned solely for uses r easonably related to the de velopment and submission 
of information required under New Zealand law or the law of any other country that regulates the 
manufacture, construction, use, or sale of any product. 
 
Contact for enquiries  Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
10 See document IP/N/1/NZL/P/1/Add.2.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 13 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Plant Variety Rights Amendment Regulation 199911 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
31 May 1999 
 Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 1 July 1999 and modified the quantities of seed required 
to be supplied with applications for grants of plan t variety rights in respect of plants of certain 
varieties. The Regulations also added a requirement that applicants supply 100 ears of seed with 
applications for varieties of barley, oats, and wheat. 
 
Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
11 See document IP/N/1/NZL/P/4/Add.2. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 14  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Plant Variety Rights (Fees) Order 1999
12 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
31 May 1999 
 Purpose of legislation  
This order, which came into force on 1 July 1999, prescribed a new and simpler set of fees payable 
under the Plant Variety Rights Act 1987. The new set of fees comprises increased fees, reduced fees, 
unchanged fees, and separate fees for things previously the subject of a single fee.  
 Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
12 See document IP/N/1/NZL/P/4/Add.2.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 15 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Plant Variety Rights Amendment Regulations 200113 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
26 November 2001 
 Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 1 Ja nuary 2002, reduced the quantity of seed to be 
provided for testing by the Plant Variety Rights Office, as fewer seeds are required for testing than previously prescribed. 
 Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
13 See document IP/N/1/NZL/P/4/Add.2. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 16  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Plant Variety Rights (Fees) Amendment Order 2001
14 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
26 November 2001 
 Purpose of legislation  
This order, which came into force on 1 January 2002 , extends the fees for test trials conducted by the 
Plant Variety Rights Office to include all types of peas, the cereals triticale and ryecorn, and grass 
endophytes. 
 Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
14 See document IP/N/1/NZL/P/4/Add.2.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 17 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Layout Designs (Eligible Countries) Order 200015 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
6 November 2000 
 Purpose of legislation  
The order updated and replaced the Layout Designs (Eligible Countries) Order 1995, which declared a 
number of countries to be eligible countries for the purposes of the Layout Designs Act 1994. This order added a further 57 countries to  the list of eligible countries. 
 Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
15 See document IP/N/1/NZL/L/1/Add.1. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 18  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Designs Amendment Regulations 1999
16 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
31 May 1999 
 Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 1 July 1999, prescribed a new scale of fees in respect of 
various matters under the Designs Regulations 1954.  
Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
16 See document IP/N/1/NZL/D/2/Add.1.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 19 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Trade Marks Amendment Regulations 199917 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
31 May 1999 
 Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 1 July 1999, prescribed a new scale of fees in respect of 
various matters under the Trade Marks Regulations 1954.  
Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
17 See document IP/N/1/NZL/T/2/Add.1. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 20  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Trade Marks (Border Protection and Transitional Applications) Amendment Regulations 1999
18 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
31 May 1999 
 Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 1 July 1999, removed from the Trade Marks (Border 
Protection and Transitional Applications) Regulations 1994 the $50 fee previously payable on the giving of a notice under section 23(2) of the Trade Marks Amendment Act 1994. 
 Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
18 See document IP/N/1/NZL/T/3/Add.1.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 21 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Trade Marks Amendment Act 199919 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Act of Parliament 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
14 October 1999 
 Purpose of legislation  
The Amendment Act inserted sections 46A - 46M in to the Trade Marks Act 1953 to provide for the 
registration of collective trade marks.   
Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
19 See document IP/N/1/NZL/T/1/Add.2. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 22  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Trade Marks Amendment Regulations 2000
20 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
6 March 2000 
 Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 1 April 2000, amended the Trade Marks Regulations 
1954. The regulations provide for administrative matters relating to the registration of collective trade marks. Collective trade marks were introduced in to the Trade Marks Act 1953 by the Trade Marks 
Amendment Act 1999. 
 
Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
20 See document IP/N/1/NZL/T/2/Add.1.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 23 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Trade Marks Amendment Act 1999 Commencement Order 200021 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
6 March 2000 
 Purpose of legislation  
This order brought into force sections 3, 4, and 8 of the Trade Marks Amendment Act 1999 on 1 April 
2000. Sections 3 and 4 of the Trade Marks Amendment Act 1999 amend the Trade Marks Act 1953 to provide for the registration and protection of coll ective trade marks. Section 8 of the Trade Marks 
Amendment Act 1999 makes consequential amen dments to the Fair Trading Act 1986. 
 
Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
21 See document IP/N/1/NZL/T/1/Add.2. IP/N/1/NZL/4 
Page 24  
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Trade Marks Amendment Regulations 2001
22 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Order in Council 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
3 December 2001 
 Purpose of legislation  
These regulations, which came into force on 7 January 2002, are necessary to ensure that the New 
Zealand classification of trade marks reflects changes to the international trade mark classification system (the “Nice Classification”) that took effect on 7 January 2002. 
  
The Nice Classification system, administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, groups 
goods and services into categories based on the similar nature of the goods or services. This system is 
used by the Patent Office of New Zealand as far as  possible in order to avoid owners of international 
trade marks having to reclassify their goods and serv ices when applying for registration of their trade 
marks in New Zealand. 
 Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 
Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
                                                      
22 See document IP/N/1/NZL/T/2/Add.1.  IP/N/1/NZL/4 
 Page 25 
 
 
 NOTIFICATION TO TRIPS COUNCIL BY NEW ZEALAND 
OF AMENDING LEGISLATION 
 
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
 
 
Name of legislation 
 
Trade Marks Act 200223 
 
Type of legislation 
 
Act of Parliament 
 
Date of entry into force 
 
The Trade Marks Act 2002 will enter into force as so on as Regulations have been made, indicatively 
2003.  
 
Purpose of legislation 
 
The purposes of this Act are to: 
• more clearly define the scope of rights protected by registered trade marks;   
• simplify procedures for registering a trade mark in order to reduce costs to applicants and to 
reduce business compliance costs generally;  
• address Maori concerns relating to the registra tion of trade marks that contain a Maori sign, 
including imagery and text;  
• deter counterfeit activity in relation to re gistered trade marks in New Zealand;  
• ensure that New Zealand's trade mark regime takes account of international developments.  
 
Contact for enquiries 
 
Intellectual Property Policy Group 
Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch 
Ministry of Economic Development 
33 Bowen Street 
P O Box 1473 
Wellington 
NEW ZEALAND 
 Email: info@med.govt.nz
 
 
__________ 
 
 
                                                      
23 See document IP/N/1/NZL/T/4.