3.
not obscure any "relevant legislative requirement" or appear other than once on any of the front, top and bottom outer surfaces of the pack[1].
The relevant prescriptive provisions of the TPP Act, ss 18 to 27, are declared by s 27A to have "no legal effect other than to specify requirements, and provide for regulations specifying requirements, for the purposes of the definition of tobacco product requirement". The term "tobacco product requirement" is a defined term which relevantly means a requirement specified in Pt 2 of Ch 2 or in the TPP Regulations made under that Part[2].
The registrability of trade marks and designs whose use is subject to constraints imposed by the TPP Act and the TPP Regulations is not to be prejudiced by those constraints. Neither the TPP Act nor the TPP Regulations deprive a trade mark of registrability for non-use, or because the use of the trade mark in relation to tobacco products would be contrary to law[3]. Neither the TPP Act nor the circumstance that a person cannot use a trade mark in relation to the retail packaging of tobacco products or on tobacco products is a circumstance making it reasonable or appropriate to refuse or revoke registration of the trade mark, to revoke acceptance of an application for registration, or to register the trade mark subject to conditions or limitations[4]. There is a somewhat less elaborate protection for registered designs under the Designs Act 2003 (Cth)[5].
It is an object of the TPP Act to give effect to obligations that Australia has as a party to the Convention on Tobacco Control[6]. The Act thereby relies upon the power of the Commonwealth Parliament to make laws with respect to external affairs. Part 3 of Ch 1 of the TPP Act entitled "Constitutional provisions" provides for the Act's additional operation in reliance upon the corporations power, the trade and commerce power, and the Territories' power. Section 15(1) provides for the non-application of the TPP Act to the extent (if any) that its operation would result in an acquisition of property from a person
