There has been no economic analysis on ACTA, Jackson pointed out, saying that instead of providing benefits to New Zealand exporters, overseas industries are the ones that will reap the rewards.

InternetNZ's Penney says the spirit of the treaty will have to be adhered to under international law, and New Zealand can't enact legislation that contradicts ACTA. As it stands, ACTA is essentially an extension of the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act or DMCA, according to Penney and introducing it will alter New Zealand law, especially the Copyright Act.

MFAT says New Zealand joined a group of like-minded countries in the ACTA negotiations to foster innovation, productivity and economic prosperity. International standards and cooperation will provide New Zealand exporters with certainty.

There is a growing trade in counterfeited and pirated goods, the spokesman says. In 2009, NZ Customs seized in the order of" 270,000 counterfeit items including clothing, footwear and electronic goods.

He says there will be efforts to produce counterfeit products in relation to the upcoming Rugby World Cup and also referred to an unnamed 2005 study that estimated the losses due to copyright infringement for New Zealand's film industry at $70 million.