Amended Trade Mark Regulations gazetted

8 November 2012

The amendments that are being made to the Trade Mark Regulations have today been notified in the New Zealand Gazette.

The Trade Marks Amendment Regulations 2012 and the Trade Marks (International Registration) Regulations 2012 will bring into force on 10 December 2012 a number of changes to the trade mark system. These changes represent the first set of changes that will be made to the regulations and cover the following areas:

• Regulations to give effect to the Madrid Protocol
• Regulation amendments required to comply with the Singapore Treaty
• Amendments to enable New Zealand to accede to the Nice Agreement
• Fees
• Mandatory electronic communications through the Commissioner’s case management facility
• Miscellaneous amendments to improve the operation of the regulations

The second set of changes are anticipated to come into force in the first quarter of 2013 and will cover:

• Amendments to proceedings regulations to improve the administration of proceedings before the Commissioner
• Further miscellaneous amendments to improve the operation of the regulations

The reason for the regulations being done in two parts is to allow New Zealand to implement the international treaties elements, including the Madrid Protocol in 2012.

For more information:

• Trade Marks  (International Registration) Regulations 2012
• Trade Marks Amendment Regulations 2012
• Main changes from the trade mark law reform 2012