A bill has been introduced to Parliament that seeks to amend the Patents Act 2013 to introduce a second-tier patent system in New Zealand, similar to the Australian innovation patent system. The Patents (Advancement Patents) Amendment Bill was introduced as a Member’s Bill, meaning that it is not being put forward as part of the Government’s legislative programme.
The Bill’s Explanatory Note states that it:
'...seeks to enhance New Zealand’s innovative performance by providing intellectual property protection rights to advancements that are novel, useful and non-obvious that may or may not qualify as an invention for the standard patent. This is by introducing a more accessible, quicker, and cost effective second-tier patient system that provides protection to allow management and exploitation of the advancement with reduced risk.'
The Bill was introduced on 5 April 2018, and will now progress to its first reading. We will keep you updated on the progress of this legislation. If you have any questions about the Bill, get in touch with us.
