Government proposes partial ban on parallel imports

The Government is proposing a ban on parallel imports of films, videos and DVDs for nine months after a title's first international release.

Commerce Minister Paul Swain said legislation to implement the ban and also place the onus of proof on those accused of pirating goods would be introduced in the first half of next year.

The ban would mean retailers would not be able to legally import copies of the goods covered without permission from the local copyright holder or authorised distributor. Individuals bringing goods into the country would not be covered by the ban.

Parallel importing means a retailer by-passes the authorised importer into this country and goes to another legal producer of the good in a different country to purchase it at a lower price.

Companies such as The Warehouse have been using parallel imports from Asian countries to sell cheaper goods here. The United States has been placing pressure on New Zealand about parallel importing since it was relaxed under the last National government.

- NZPA