The publication of the recent Value of Design report caused a stir in New Zealand’s design community. The report claims that last year, design contributed $10.1 billion to New Zealand’s GDP.

In a step signalling the continuing commitment of ASEAN member states (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) to join the Madrid system, Indonesia became the 100^th member of the Madrid Union.

 Australian IP laws are set for another shake up. Key changes originally proposed by the Productivity Commission have been supported by the government in a response released 25 August 2017. These changes include, abolishing the innovation patent, raising the standard of inventive step for patents, and altering the plant breeder’s rights system amongst others.

As of 7 November 2017, Thailand joins Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Philippines, Singapore and Viet Nam as a member of the Madrid System for the International Registration of trade marks.

New Zealand has joined the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) pilot program. As a result it is now possible to request accelerated examination of a New Zealand patent application based on the allowance of at least one claim of a corresponding application in another GPPH office.

A review of the Copyright Act has been commenced by the New Zealand Government. The review has been long-signalled by the Government, and long-awaited in some quarters. It is the first major review of substantive provisions of the Act since the Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act 2008.

 World IP Day celebrates the role that intellectual property rights (patents, trade marks, designs, copyright) play in encouraging innovation and creativity. 

 

Intellectual property in New Zealand is often low on the legislative priority. However, 2016 and the beginning of 2017 has seen an extraordinarily large number of intellectual property bills and orders passed.

 Changes to European patent law to establish a Unified Patent Court (“UPC”) may take effect as early as this year, with a “sunrise period” of three months set to begin in September.