New Zealand's Intellectual Property Framework
[ Last Updated 25 October 2005 ]
Contents
Please read the Ministry's disclaimer notice.
Introduction
New Zealand is a net importer of intellectual property. This means that the creators and inventors of most of the intellectual property consumed in New Zealand are located overseas (e.g. films, books, computer software, patented inventions or branded products). Like many other net technology-importing countries, New Zealand's technological development is likely to depend quite heavily on "cumulative innovation".
New Zealand's intellectual property framework aims to:
- Provide effective incentives for innovation in New Zealand
- Provide intellectual property protection for innovators;
- Ensure that New Zealand is viewed positively by intellectual property exporting countries, so that we can attract technology transfer and investment; and
- Weigh the benefits of protection for intellectual property, and access to it, so as to maximise the net benefit of intellectual property for New Zealanders as a whole.
With these considerations in mind, the government has been progressing a wide-ranging programme of intellectual property regulatory reform. This process is designed to ensure that:
- Our regime remains up-to-date;
- Takes account of international best practice and changing technology;
- Provides certainty for both right holders and users of intellectual property;
- Maintains an appropriate balance between the interests of rightholders and users of intellectual property;
- Provides effective penalties against the theft of intellectual property;
- Meets our international obligations; and
- Takes account of the concerns of Māori.
Information Sheets
The Ministry has produced information sheets on various form of intellectual property in New Zealand:
Further Information
Contact Details
Latest Developments
→ Latest Developments in Intellectual Property in New Zealand
Useful Websites
→ Useful Intellectual Property-Related Websites
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