New Zealand Legislation: Bills

4 Overview

• (1) In this Act,—

  • (a) this Part specifies the purposes of this Act and defines terms and expressions used in this Act; and

  • (b) Part 2 contains provisions concerning patentable inventions and patent rights, including provisions relating to what is a patentable invention, exclusions from what is patentable, the exclusive rights given by a patent, and who may be granted a patent; and

  • (c) Part 3 describes the process for obtaining a patent and various other matters, including provisions relating to patent applications, specifications, examinations, acceptance, publication, and the granting of patents; and

  • (d) Part 4 contains matters affecting patent ownership, including provisions relating to infringement proceedings, declarations of non-infringement, and other proceedings relating to patents, and provisions on patent dealings and compulsory licences; and

  • (e) Part 5 contains provisions relating to patent attorneys, patent attorney companies, and patent attorney partnerships, including a registration system for patent attorneys, a code of conduct for patent attorneys and patent attorney companies, a complaints and disciplinary regime, and provisions dealing with the Patent Attorneys’ Standards Board of New Zealand; and

  • (f) Part 6 contains provisions relating to the patents register, the Commissioner, the Māori advisory committee, and other administrative and miscellaneous matters.

  (2) This section is intended only as a guide to the general scheme and effect of this Act.