New Zealand: Patent

New Zealand patent prosecution has evolved significantly since the Patents Act 2013, developing its own examination culture distinct from Australia. With inventive step now central to examination, fixed divisional deadlines, and compressed prosecution timetables, applicants must make strategic decisions earlier than in other jurisdictions to preserve claim scope and maintain flexibility throughout the patent process.

The New Zealand Patent Office has issued the latest decision in the worldwide pursuit to have the artificial intelligence machine known as DABUS recognised as an inventor, finding that AI cannot be an inventor under New Zealand law.

Earlier this year, the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) carried out a review of its fees, with a view to providing consistency and transparency across the services it provides.