Patents Act 1990

A Convention applicant in relation to a basic application may make a Convention application, or 2 or more such applicants may make a joint Convention application.

If 2 or more basic applications for protection in respect of inventions have been made in one or more Convention countries, one Convention application may be made by a Convention applicant in relation to those basic applications, or by 2 or more such entitled applicants jointly, in respect of the inventions disclosed in the basic applications.

Subject to subsections (4) and (5), a Convention application must be made and dealt with in the same way as any other patent application.

A patent request relating to a Convention application must:

include the prescribed particulars relating to the relevant basic application; and

be accompanied by a complete specification.

Convention country means a foreign country or region of a kind prescribed by the regulations.

Despite subsection 14(2) of the Legislation Act 2003, regulations made for the purposes of the definition of Convention country in subsection (5) may make provision in relation to a matter by applying, adopting or incorporating, with or without modification, any matter contained in any other instrument or other writing as in force or existing from time to time.