New Zealand delegates, including the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) National Manager Simon Gallagher, have recently returned from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assemblies, September 30 to October 9, 2019. View the 2019 Address of the Director General, Francis Gurry, for a broad overview of WIPO’s priorities. The following updates may be of interest to New Zealand users of Intellectual Property (IP) services.
New Zealand Joins Marrakesh Treaty
While in Geneva for WIPO’s General Assemblies, our delegates deposited New Zealand’s Instrument of Accession to the Marrakesh Treaty. The Marrakesh Treaty is an international treaty that aims to increase access to published works for people with a print disability, by providing for copyright exceptions within national laws to improve visually-impaired people’s access to copyright works in accessible formats (such as braille, audio or large print books).
Update on the implications of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit on trade marks protected under the Madrid System
WIPO has published new information on the implications of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit on international applications and registrations under the Madrid System filed or held by United Kingdom (UK) nationals or legal entities and on subsequent designations of the UK resulting from conversion.
Malaysia joins the Madrid System
On September 27, 2019, the Government of Malaysia deposited its instrument of accession to the Madrid Protocol with WIPO’s Director General. The Protocol will enter into force for Malaysia on December 27th, 2019. From that date on you’ll be able to choose Malaysia as a designated country for applications for International trade mark protection made on the IPONZ website.
End of the Year Webinars on the Madrid System
WIPO are providing two intermediate/advanced webinars in October and November for users of the Madrid System for international protection of trade marks.
- Register for End of the Year Webinars 2019 – The Madrid System
- View all past Madrid System Webinars.
WIPO to Launch New IP Portal
WIPO are launching a new IP Portal in the coming months – offering their full range of online IP services from a single, simple portal.
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