Office seal that may be kept and used in electronic form

Issue summary

While the Designs Act allows for the Seal of the Designs Office to be kept electronically, which means that IP Australia can supply electronic certified copies to our customers, the patents and trade marks Acts do not.

Allowing patent and trade mark seals to be kept and used in electronic form would further streamline the provision of certified copies to customers.

History

• Policy development 4 September 2017
• Legislative drafting 26 March 2018
• Consultation 23 July 2018 to 31 August 2018
• Legislative drafting 1 September 2018
• In Parliament 25 July 2019
• Royal Assent 26 February 2020 
• Completed 26 February 2020

Comments

This item is included in the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Productivity Commission Response Part 2 and Other Measures) Act 2020 which commences on 27 February 2020.