It has been announced by the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (“IPONZ”) that the Madrid Protocol will come into force in New Zealand on 10 December 2012.
New trade mark regulations are being drafted and will also come into force on 10 December 2012. The new regulations will:
Set out the requirements relating to New Zealand’s implementation of the Madrid Protocol, as well as the Nice Agreement and the Singapore Treaty;
Introduce a new schedule of official fees for trade mark matters, which includes fee increases for filings, renewals, oppositions, hearings and declarations of invalidity, as well as the introduction of a new fee for revocation (removal) actions; and
Mandate the use of IPONZ’s online electronic case management system for all correspondence regarding trade marks.