We’ve made a number of improvements to our website and online case management facility as of 16 December 2020.

All parties in a proceeding will now be notified whenever one party files documents

Whenever a party files documents to a proceeding, the IPONZ online system will now notify all parties of this submission.

Notably, documents uploaded to proceeding cases are automatically made available to all parties in the proceeding, with the exception of any documents that are marked as confidential evidence. Parties to a proceeding must therefore ensure that any confidential evidence is supplied under the “Confidential Evidence” document type.

Parties will still be required to send copies of information or evidence to the opposing party, as per the following regulations:

• Regulation 33 of the Trade Marks Regulations 2003 (New Zealand Legislation website)
• Regulation 164 of the Patents Regulations 2014 (New Zealand Legislation website)

Updated trade mark compliance report and acceptance letters

Much like our patent examination reports some months ago, our trade mark compliance reports and acceptance letters have now also been changed to provide:

• Improved usability with clearer headings.
• Highlighted deadlines and next steps.
• Links to relevant content on the IPONZ website.
• A new look and feel.

Sample trade mark compliance report and notice of acceptance

The following patents letters are also changing to follow a similar template:

• Documents reflecting the summary of a patent application at submission.
• Letters Patents.
• Maintenance fee reminder letters.
• Renewal fee receipts.
• Letters reflecting a direction to request examination for a patent.
• Letters advising of the abandonment or voiding of a patent application.

New maintenance fee reminders for patent applications

Maintenance fee reminders will be sent for patent applications on the following occasions:

• Immediately following acceptance of a patent application, if that application has a pending maintenance fee.
• Immediately following the passing of a maintenance fee due date.

New Zealand patent applications that claim convention priority may now be submitted to WIPO DAS

Patent applications filed at IPONZ claiming convention priority may now have their specifications deposited with WIPO DAS. The method of filing and submitting the application remains the same: To upload the specification to WIPO DAS, applicants must tick the "Submit Specification to WIPO" box on the application or amendment form, then note the resulting WIPO DAS code.

Specifications submitted to WIPO DAS will continue to reflect the earliest specification filed on the same date as the filing date of the application.

Ability to request extension of time in response to a revocation of acceptance on a trade mark

If IPONZ issues a notice of intention to revoke the acceptance of a trade mark application, applicants now have an option to request an extension of time to respond to this notice. This is in addition to the existing option to request for a hearing on the matter.

Changes to the Information Request / Request to Direct Examination form

The online form that allows parties to request information under the Official Information Act (OIA) 1982 and/or request that IPONZ direct an applicant to request examination of their patent application, has been updated as follows:

• Form options have now been streamlined: Parties may now choose a basic category of request, then provide further details under that category.
• Parties seeking specific types of documents via an OIA request may now choose from a given default list of documents.