Review of Patents Act

In August 2000 the government agreed to a three-stage review of the Patents Act 1953 to take account of the social and technological changes since it was passed.

Stages 1 and 2 of the review have been completed.

Stage 3 considers issues including the Act's definition of invention and its ability to deal with new technologies, and the ethical and cultural considerations around patenting inventions involving living organisms, genetic material and traditional knowledge.

The Patents Bill was introduced to Parliament in July 2008 and given its first reading in May 2009. The Bill was referred to the Commerce Select Committee.

The Bill includes a review of the boundaries of patentability as well as a review of pharmaceutical patent terms.

Draft Patents Bill

The Patents Bill was introduced to Parliament in July 2008 and given its first reading in May 2009. The Bill was referred to the Commerce Select Committee.
Read the full text of the Bill, including recommended amendments, on the NZ legislation website.

Review of pharmaceutical patent terms

In December 2002, Cabinet decided that the issue of patent term extension for pharmaceuticals should be considered as part of Stage 3 of the Patents Act 1953 review.

The government subsequently decided the patent term for pharmaceuticals should not be extended.

Review of the Patents Act 1953 - Cabinet Paper and Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS)

This paper seeks policy approval for general and specific changes to the Patents Act 1953

• Review of the Patents Act 1953 - Stage 3, Part 1 - Cabinet Paper and RIS [98 KB PDF]
• Review of the Patents Act 1953 - Stage 3, Part 2 - Cabinet Paper and RIS [93 KB PDF]
• Review of the Patents Act 1953 - Stage 3, Part 3 - Cabinet Paper and RIS [116 KB PDF]

Archived documents

• Review of the pharmaceutical patent terms in New Zealand [172 KB PDF]
  A discussion paper on the review of pharmaceutical patent terms.
• Summary of submissions received on the Patents Act Review discussion paper [175 KB PDF]
  Summary of submissions received on the Patents Act Review discussion paper.
• Review of the Patents Act 1953: Boundaries to Patentability [441 KB PDF]
  A discussion paper on the Review of the Patents Act 1953: Boundaries to Patentability.
• Summary of submissions on the draft Patents Bill [34 KB PDF]
  Report to the Minister summarising submissions on the draft Patents Bill.