The Trade Marks (International Treaties and Enforcement) Amendment Bill 2008 passed its first reading in Parliament on Tuesday 7 April and was referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee.
The Bill contains amendments to the Trade Marks Act 2002 to enable New Zealand to join several international trade marks treaties, including the Protocol Related to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (the Madrid Protocol), administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization. Their collective aim is to reduce business compliance costs associated with protecting trade marks. The Minister of Commerce, Hon Simon Power’s media statement on the Bill is here.