Improvements to the IPONZ case management facility

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Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand

Improvements to the IPONZ case management facility

We’ve made a number of improvements to our case management facility as of 23 November 2023.

Changes to Plant Variety Rights (PVR) renewal notifications

We have updated the schedule of PVR renewal notifications to provide a more consistent experience for variety owners. From 23 November 2023, renewal notices for granted PVRs will work as follows:

  • We will provide a renewal notice three months before the variety’s renewal due date.
  • We will provide a second renewal notice one month before the variety’s renewal due date, if the renewal fee is not yet paid by that time.

This schedule of renewal notices applies whether the PVR has been granted under the Plant Variety Rights Act 1987, or the Plant Variety Rights Act 2022.

PVR renewal notices will provide details of the renewal fee amount, the payment due date, and the consequences of payment not being received by the due date. These details will vary depending on the Act under which the PVR was granted, and when it was granted.

We recommend that variety owners read the information for each renewal notice they may receive, to ensure that they can respond accordingly.

New options for case search results

When doing a search of intellectual property (IP) cases using our case management facility, you may now set your display of search results to include renewal or maintenance due dates that apply to that type of IP.

To do this, select the “Show / Hide Columns” drop-down box at the bottom of your search results, then select the “Show: Renewal Due Date” or “Show: Renewal/Maintenance Due Date” option. This will cause the renewal or maintenance due dates to become visible in your search results.

Examples of new search options for patents (left) and trade marks (right)

Examples of new search options for patents (left) and trade marks (right)

Changes on requests to remove agents from cases

We’ve changed the way our case management facility behaves when you file a request to remove one or more agents from an IP case.

When filing a Change Agent request in this way, selecting the “Remove Agents” option will display the current agents on the IP case. You may remove or add agents to this display as needed.

Submitting your request will initiate the removal of any agents in this display. Please note that these agents will not be removed from the IP case until your Change Agent request has been received and validated by our office.

Updated letters for patent renewal and publication notices

We have updated the following patent notification letters with a new look and feel:

  • Patent renewal notices
  • Notifications that a complete specification will become open for public inspection

These letters now provide clearer headings, as well as highlighted deadlines (where applicable) and links to relevant content on the IPONZ website.

Published on November 23, 2023
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