IPONZ has recently updated its trade mark practice guidelines to reflect new provisions resulting from the European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Act 2024.

The changes to our trade mark practice guidelines clarify how our examiners will treat trade mark applications:

• Where a geographical indication (GI) appears in the trade mark, or
• Where a trade mark specification contains a registered GI.

View the updated Trade Mark practice guidelines:

3 Classification and specification (see section 3.5)

4a Absolute grounds – Geographical indications

We are also in the process of updating other website information about geographical indications, to be in line with these legislative changes.