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Trade marks
Practice guidelines
Relative grounds - Identical or similar trade marks
This document provides guidelines on whether relative grounds exist for refusing registration of a trade mark. In particular, this page concerns the relative grounds for refusal in section 25 of the Trade Marks Act 2002. These Guidelines do not constrain the judgement and discretion of the…
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Trade marks
Practice guidelines
Rectification of registered trade marks
Guidelines on section 76 of the Trade Marks Act 2002. These guidelines do not constrain the judgement and discretion of the Commissioner of Trade Marks, and each application will be considered on its own merits.
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Patents
Patents Act 1953
Filing a provisional specification
Applications with provisional specifications A provisional specification contains only a broad specification of the invention. A provisional application: Is not examined by IPONZ. Needs to disclose the invention in sufficient detail to provide basis for claims that may be made at a…
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Patents
Patents Act 1953
Amendment/Correction of Error
Requesting voluntary amendment or correction of an error. A patentee or patent applicant may request a voluntary amendment to 1 , or correction of an error in, the register details or documents of a patent, either before…
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Designs
Practice guidelines
Classification and reclassification for designs
New Zealand Registered Designs and design applications are presently classified in accordance with the article or articles to which the design is applied using version 9 of the International Locarno Design Classification System, augmented by some subdivisions of some subclasses, designated alphabetically A, B etc. …
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Trade marks
Trade Mark Hearings
Pleadings
What are pleadings? Pleadings are the documents which outline a party’s grounds of dispute. The party who initiates a proceeding will file pleadings in the form of either: a notice of opposition; or an application for revocation; or an application for…
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Patents
Hearings
How to commence a proceeding or file a proceeding document
How to commence a proceeding Log into our case management facility using your user ID. Select the Proceeding menu on the left hand side of the screen and select the relevant proceeding type Lodge procedure link. Enter the relevant information and documents…
News and updates
IPONZ Masterclass: Madrid Protocol update and working group proposals
IPONZ invites IP professionals and agents to attend a detailed discussion of current and future Madrid Protocol issues related to international trade mark registration on 6 and 7 June 2018.
News and updates
Candidates sought for a New Zealand Chairperson of the Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Board
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has commenced a recruitment process to appoint a New Zealand Chairperson to the Trans-Tasman IP Attorneys Board.
News and updates
Update to Trade Mark Practice Guidelines
IPONZ has updated its practice guidelines to confirm changes on how we consider prior use, and clarify how we consider terms such as “providing a website”.
