Tim Groser
Release

Trade Minister Tim Groser will travel to Geneva this week to attend the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) 8th Ministerial Conference.



The 15-17 December conference will consider how to best maintain a robust, rules-based multilateral trading system, further work on trade and development, and how to advance the stalled Doha Round.



“Obviously this has been a difficult year for the Doha negotiations. The Conference is an opportunity to inject fresh thinking on how to make progress in 2012,” Mr Groser says.


Tim Groser Trade
Release

Climate Change Ministers Nick Smith and Tim Groser have warmly welcomed the outcome of the UN Climate Change negotiations which concluded successfully in Durban today.

They paid tribute to the leadership provided by the host, South Africa, which paved the way for a truly comprehensive international agreement.

“This agreement meets all the realistic expectations the New Zealand delegation had when it arrived in South Africa two weeks ago,” Mr Groser said.

The agreement:

Nick Smith Tim Groser Environment International Climate Change Negotiations
Speech

Madam President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.

I would like to acknowledge and thank our gracious hosts South Africa and assure the Parties present that New Zealand is, as always, committed to playing a constructive role in these negotiations.

Having accepted a responsibility target under the Kyoto Protocol CP1 we are on track to meet our commitments and no matter what the outcome here in Durban New Zealand's mitigation efforts will continue post-2012.

Tim Groser International Climate Change Negotiations
Release

Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, and New Zealand Minister for International Climate Change Negotiations, Tim Groser, have welcomed progress on plans to link Australia’s and New Zealand’s emissions trading schemes.



The Ministers agreed that strengthening international carbon markets - including through linking the two emissions trading schemes - would unlock further efficiencies, and contribute to reducing pollution cost-effectively around the globe.


Tim Groser International Climate Change Negotiations Trade
Release

Minister Responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations Tim Groser will travel to Durban, South Africa, from 1-11 December to attend the annual ministerial conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

“New Zealand will be looking for progress towards a comprehensive global agreement with binding emission-reduction commitments. These commitments need to include all developed countries as well as advanced and major-emitting developing countries.

Tim Groser International Climate Change Negotiations
Speech

Ambassador Xu, Minister Carter, Distinguished Guests

I am delighted to open this new dairy factory today – the largest infant formula facility of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. I congratulate the senior executives of the NZ company, Synlait Milk, and our Chinese partners, Bright Food Group, one of the largest food and beverage companies in China.

Tim Groser Trade
Release

Australia’s Trade Minister, Craig Emerson, and New Zealand’s Minister of Trade, Tim Groser, today welcomed Indonesia’s announcement that it had completed domestic procedures to enable the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) to enter into force for Indonesia. AANZFTA is already in force for Australia, New Zealand and the other nine ASEAN member countries.

Tim Groser Trade
Release

The Thailand - New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (TNZCEP) is delivering increased trade between our two countries, Trade Minister Tim Groser announced today.

Since coming into effect on 1 July 2005, bilateral merchandise trade had doubled to NZ$2.086 billion (US$1.58 billion) in the year to June 2011.

“This is a remarkable achievement given the difficult global economic environment in recent years,” Mr Groser said.

Tim Groser Trade
Release

Agreement on the broad outlines of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is an important step towards a high-quality free-trade deal that will benefit New Zealand exporters, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and Trade Minister Tim Groser say.

Leaders of the nine countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) today agreed on the broad outlines of the free trade agreement, at a meeting hosted by US President Barack Obama in Honolulu on the fringes of the APEC summit. Mr English represented New Zealand on behalf of Prime Minister John Key.

Bill English Tim Groser Deputy Prime Minister Trade
Release

New Zealand Trade Minister, Tim Groser, welcomed the announcement by Mexican Secretary of the Economy, Bruno Ferrari, that Mexico will eliminate its 20% tariff on kiwifruit imports.

Both New Zealand and Mexico are likeminded economies that share the principles of APEC of free and open trade and investment. Both work closely to advance APEC’s agenda, particularly to enhance the competitiveness of both economies. Likewise, Mexico and New Zealand work towards a stronger multilateral trading system.

Tim Groser Trade
Release

Trade Minister Tim Groser has welcomed today’s announcement by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda that Japan will seek to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiation.

“Japan is a giant in world trade and economic affairs,” Mr Groser said.

“Having Japan join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a group committed to free trade and closer integration of Asia-Pacific economies, would be of immense significance.

“At a time of uncertainty in the global economy this announcement sends a strong positive message,” he added.

Tim Groser Trade
Release

Trade Minister Tim Groser today welcomed Russia’s imminent membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

“New Zealand is extremely supportive of Russia’s imminent membership of the WTO”, Mr Groser said. “We have long advocated for Russia’s membership and have worked hard over many years to bring that about. We were the first developed country to conclude our bilateral goods negotiations for Russia’s accession in 2003.”

Tim Groser Trade
Release

The Government is supporting exporters through two changes that widen the scope and accessibility of the New Zealand Export Credit Office's trade guarantees, Finance Minister Bill English and Trade Minister Tim Groser say.

"The Government is focused on lifting New Zealand's exports, so we can build a faster growing economy with higher incomes and more real jobs," Mr English says.

Bill English Tim Groser Finance Trade
Release

Trade Minister Tim Groser announced today that there is a consensus among World Trade Organisation members to appoint New Zealand’s WTO Ambassador, John Adank, as the new chair of the WTO Doha Round agriculture negotiations.

Mr Adank is expected to be formally elected Chair at the next meeting of the Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture.

Tim Groser Trade
Speech

Let me first acknowledge and thank my colleague and friend, the Attorney-General Chris Finlayson, for inviting me to deliver the annual Ralph Hanan memorial lecture.

As you know, this annual lecture is a celebration of the Liberal tradition of the National Party. It honours one of the Party’s greatest liberal minds and practitioners, the Rt Hon Ralph Hanan. I am not the first to observe in this series of lectures that Chris is perhaps the most obvious inheritor of that proud Liberal tradition.

Tim Groser Trade
Release

Minister of Trade Hon Tim Groser today welcomed the announcement that agreement had been reached between the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office in Taipei and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Wellington to explore the feasibility of an economic cooperation agreement between New Zealand and Chinese Taipei.*

“Chinese Taipei is an important trading partner for New Zealand and even after its WTO accession maintains a number of high barriers to our exports” Tim Groser said.

Tim Groser Trade
Release

Trade Minister Tim Groser today welcomed a joint New Zealand/South Africa study of trade trends between New Zealand and South Africa.

Hon Rob Davies, South African Minister for Trade & Industry, and Mr Groser announced the study results at a meeting in Stellenbosch.

“This study shines a light on our trading relationship with South Africa. It underlines the ease and value of that trading relationship, but there is potential to increase our current modest levels of trade” Mr Groser says.

Tim Groser Trade
Release

Minister of Trade Tim Groser announced today that New Zealand will join a long list of countries accepting an amendment to WTO rules that will make it easier to export generic drugs to developing countries.

It means that countries faced with public health problems, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, can import generic copies of patented drugs if they cannot manufacture the drugs themselves.

“Affordable access to medicines makes a critical difference to developing countries,” Mr Groser says.

Tim Groser Trade
Release

Tim Groser, Minister Responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations, leaves New Zealand today to attend a climate change meeting in South Africa.



In Stellenbosch, Mr Groser will attend informal Ministerial consultations on 20 – 21 October 2011 laying further groundwork for the United Nations climate change conference in Durban in December.



“Recent climate change negotiations in Panama highlighted the challenges we will face in Durban."


Tim Groser International Climate Change Negotiations
Release

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomed the passage in the United States Congress of the US's Free Trade Agreements with Panama, Colombia, and Korea. The deals were ratified overnight, with (strong) bipartisan support in the United States House of Representatives and the Senate.


Tim Groser Trade
Release

The Minister of Trade Hon Tim Groser announced today that New Zealand will join other countries in signing the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) at an official ceremony arranged by Japan in Tokyo on 1 October.  



ACTA, which aims to curb the growing trade in counterfeit goods and pirated copyright works, covers countries representing half the world’s trade.


Tim Groser Trade
Speech

The intersection between trade and climate change is a large and open policy space. I want to concentrate today on a helicopter view of the two sets of formal negotiations, one in the WTO and the other in the UN setting of the UNFCCC.

I am, one could say, going back to school here: "compare and contrast the two multilateral economic negotiations in trade and climate change". However, before doing so, let me start with a few comments on some specific examples of work New Zealand is doing in this joined-up policy space with Latin American countries.

Tim Groser International Climate Change Negotiations Trade
Release

Tim Groser, Trade Minister and Minister Responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations, leaves New Zealand tomorrow to attend talks on climate change and trade in South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

In Pretoria, South Africa, Mr Groser will attend a Ministerial meeting laying the groundwork for the United Nations climate change conference in Durban in December. Mr Groser will chair a session examining the transition to a post-2012 climate change agreement.

Tim Groser International Climate Change Negotiations Trade
Release

Changes to the Rules of Origin under the Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (CER), will reduce costs for exporters Customs Minister Maurice Williamson and Trade Minister Tim Groser say.

The Rules of Origin determine which products are “New Zealand" or "Australian" goods and are able to be exported between the countries free of duty.

The changes were agreed to by the New Zealand and Australian Trade Ministers in June 2010 and take effect today.

Tim Groser Maurice Williamson Customs Trade