New Zealand

●April 8　Source: www.lexology.com

IPONZ have now updated working status under the current national COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions. IPONZ staff are now working from home. Due to this, IPONZ now warn that their ability to deal with time sensitive matters may be affected. However, any delay in processing will be taken into account if further action is required. Extensions are available to applicants affected by COVID-19 and will be treated favourably. The latest update from 31 March 2020 is reproduced below:

IPONZ services during COVID-19

IPONZ recognised the unprecedented nature of current events and the impact that the response to COVID-19 is having on the community and businesses.

If circumstances related to COVID-19 have affected you or are affecting your ability to respond by a deadline please apply for an extension of time. Such requests will be treated favorably by IPONZ. If this is not possible please contact us directly using the online form.

IPONZ is closely monitoring incoming requests and dealing with any time sensitive matters. As IPONZ staff are having to work remotely, we will not usually be able to achieve our published processing timeframes.

If you have corresponded with IPONZ in relation to a time-sensitive matter within the prescribed time, you may not receive a response within the typical time period. Please rest assured that any deadline will be treated as having been conditionally met and the IPONZ delay in processing will be taken into account if further action is required.

As the situation continues to change we will keep you informed through our website.

●March 30　Source: www.mondaq.com

All services of the intellectual property office of New Zealand are currently operating as usual and all deadlines are not automatically extended.

If circumstances related to the COVID-19 outbreak have affected or are affecting a right holder, applicant or opponent's ability to respond by a deadline, they may request an extension of time to meet that deadline.

The intellectual property office of New Zealand will assess extension of time requests on a case-by-case basis and no fees for extensions of time apply.