Australia Ip news
Arising from a trade agreement at the recent ASEAN meeting February 2009, Australia and New Zealand will be cutting import tariff for Vietnamese products by 85 percent and 96.4 percent, respectively, by 2010. Products that are entitled to the discounts include fresh fruits, fish, sugar, pulp materials, wood products, minerals, and textiles. It shows a warming of ties between Vietnam and Australia and New Zealand. Among ASEAN countries, Vietnam ranks sixth largest trading partner amounting to a two way trade of 8 billion USD in 2007/2008. This was according to the Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Allaster Cox.
Along the way, Australia will also provide funding for business advancements and also to lend a hand on technical matters. As for Vietnam, it has got an agreement with New Zealand to initiate temporary entry of labor into New Zealand, including chefs and mechanics. Part of the scheme includes working holidays for Vietnamese to gain experience that might be beneficial to Vietnam. The AANZ FTA is one of the largest FTA of Australia and New Zealand and ASEAN. Among other things, it covers a range of products including commodities, services, intellectual property, investments, and e-trading. The agreement combines a total population of 600 million and an expected GDP of 3 billion USD.
Peer to Patent scheme for Australia
A peer to patent application system has been launched in Australia. The trial method for improving the quality of patent application is a joint venture project between IP Australia and the Queensland University of Technology. The peer to patent system is the one used by USPTO and the New York Law School and will last for a year. Patent applications will be sent to a panel of patent specialist for vetting and in affirming prior arts for the cases. However, only business methods cases will be offered advice.
December 23, 2009.
Does an ‘I’ in front of anything belonged to Apple?
The case—Sydney based Wholesale Central wanted to register ‘DOPI’ as its trademark, but was objected to by Apple because according to Apple, anything that resembles their ‘ipod’ and ‘iphone’ in trademark is a violation. Apparently, Apple argues that although the ‘DOPI’ trademark is ‘ipod’ spelled backwards and does not really resembles its own trademark, but consumers will be misled into thinking that ‘DOPI’ also belongs to it. It is therefore tantamount to a trade deception and its registration should be objected. In a setback for Apple, the trademark registrar Michael Kirov did allow for the registration, arguing that he sees no way a "person of ordinary intelligence and memory" could relate ‘PODI’ to ‘ipod’.
March 14, 2010.