1. Patents
China
China’s Revised Patents Implementing Regulations
On 21st December 2023 China announced revised implementing regulations for its Patent Law following on from the amendment of its Patent Law on 1st June 2021. The implementing regulations came into effect on 20th January 2024.
United States of America
USPTO Proposing Economically Significant Patent Fee Changes from October 2024
The USPTO has released its ‘economically significant’ proposed fee structure for patents that is intended to be implemented from 1st October 2024.
2. Trade Marks
Australia
Fine Tuning of Australia’s Trade Mark Legislation Effected
As previously noted, in late 2021 the Australian Government released an exposure draft of its Regulator Performance Omnibus Bill 2022 . Amongst others, the draft Bill proposed minor clarificational and streamlining amendments to the Trade Marks Act 1995 and the Trade Marks Regulations 1995.
New Zealand
EU GIs Have Entered the Picture – Say Cheese … or else!
Prior to 1st May 2024 New Zealand’s Geographical Indications (Wine and Spirits) Registration Act 2006 (the Act) was limited to wine and spirits and met the minimum requirements under the TRIPs Agreement 1994 in relation thereto. The Act excluded common names for wine and spirits from protection as geographical indications (GIs).
3. Copyright
New Zealand
Artistic Copyright and Relationship Property Redux
In Alalääkkölä v Palmer 2024 NZSC 56 the Supreme Court allowed leave to appeal the Court of Appeal’s order regarding how the copyrights in question should be treated in terms of the Property (Relationships) Act 1976.
