Trade Minister Todd McClay has welcomed a joint statement from the TPP 11 countries saying it shows unity between the 11 and important next steps for the agreement.

“This outcome was better than we might have hoped for. It demonstrates a commitment from all 11 countries to implement the agreement which is extremely valuable for New Zealand and sets a clear path to a meeting of leaders in November of this year,” Mr McClay says.

Ha Noi, Viet Nam – Ministers and Vice Ministers from Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Malaysia, Peru, Singapore and Viet Nam met today to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has arrived in Vietnam for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting of Trade Ministers, where he will also co-chair a meeting on the next steps for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The meeting follows a successful visit to Japan with Prime Minister Bill English where Japan and New Zealand firmly committed to work together to progress TPP11.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has welcomed Cabinet’s decision to ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and says the move shows leadership with Japan who has also ratified the agreement.

“Cabinet’s decision sends a clear message that we see value in a common set of high-quality rules across the Asia-Pacific and we are keeping all of our options open,” Mr McClay says.

Trade Minister Todd McClay says he sees big opportunities for New Zealand exporters following a visit to Vietnam this week.

Mr McClay met with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh to talk about regional trade deals and ways to boost our trade relationship.

"The Prime Minister and I recognised that trade is growing quickly between our countries. This is a significant relationship and we have set an ambitious target of doubling two-way trade to $2.5b over the next 5 years,” Mr McClay says.

Trade Minister Todd McClay travels to Vietnam today to hold talks with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh to discuss developments for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreements.

“New Zealand and Vietnam are both parties to the TPP Agreement and the RCEP negotiation and we have a mutual commitment to high-quality trade deals that create opportunity for our citizens,” Mr McClay says.

Trade Minister Todd McClay and Associate Health Minister Nicky Wagner say we have been working closely with Australia in the fight for tobacco plain packaging laws and believe the World Trade Organisation (WTO) case will be important for New Zealand.

The WTO case, which is expected to be decided later this year, was launched in 2014 with New Zealand as a ‘third party’. New Zealand has presented evidence including appearing before the WTO Panel in Geneva.

Trade Minister Todd McClay will chair the first meeting of the Trade Ministerial Advisory Group today (MAG) and says it builds on a strong campaign of new engagement opportunities in the trade portfolio.

“Trade contributed $70 billion to the New Zealand economy last year alone and hundreds of thousands of jobs depend on it. We all have a stake in the continued success of our export sector,” Mr McClay says.

Trade Minister Todd McClay says that the resumption of the CER-MERCOSUR Dialogue after 5 years is very good news for New Zealand and could lead to big trade gains for our exporters.

The meeting will be held on 4 May in Buenos Aires between senior officials from New Zealand, Australia and the four countries that make up the MERCOSUR bloc, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Trade Minister Todd McClay have announced that New Zealand will participate in World Expo 2020, to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The announcement was made during Mr Bridges’ visit to Dubai.

“Through Budget 2017, the Government is committing $53.3 million to construct a New Zealand Pavilion that will allow Kiwi businesses to highlight their innovative products and services and open doors to new export markets,” says Mr Bridges.

Trade Minister Todd McClay says the successful conclusion of PACER Plus negotiations is a landmark day for trade and the sustainable economic development of the Pacific.

"PACER Plus is a unique trade and development agreement. It includes a development package of more than $55 million that will help raise standards of living, create employment opportunities and increase export capacity in Pacific Island countries,” Mr McClay says.

Trade Minister Todd McClay travels to Malaysia today for high-level talks with Malaysian Trade Minister Mustapa Mohamed and to mark 60 years of successful bilateral relations between the two countries.

Mr McClay will also speak about trade and investment opportunities in New Zealand at a business forum in front of 150 of Malaysia’s top executives and investors.

“We have made a lot of progress in 60 years, particularly since a free trade agreement (FTA) was signed between our two countries in 2010,” Mr McClay says.

Trade Minister Todd McClay says the electronic-commerce arrangement signed with China today will help New Zealand’s digital exports rise up the value chain and has the potential to be a big win for the wider digital economy.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Trade Minister Todd McClay have welcomed a Memorandum of Cooperation that allows for the export of chilled meat into China, calling it a big win for exporters.

“This is a fantastic step forward for New Zealand’s red meat sector, and a sign of the great relationship we share with China,” Mr Guy says.

The six month trial marks very positive progress for New Zealand’s work programme to expand market access to China for a range of our meat products.

Trade Minister Todd McClay says an additional $27 million will be invested in improving access to international markets for New Zealand exporters and to help more of them succeed internationally.

The funding, announced as part of the launch of Trade Agenda 2030 today, will be made available over the next four years as part of Budget 2017.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has announced the formation of a Ministerial Advisory Group on trade to ensure the public is better informed on trade issues.

The Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG), part of today’s Trade Agenda 2030 announcement, includes representation from iwi, unions and NGOs, as well as industry bodies for primary industry, wood, tourism, education, horticulture, aviation and technology.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Trade Minister Todd McClay have welcomed new funding of $35.3 million to help support our primary sector exporters succeed in overseas markets.

The funding, announced as part of the launch of Trade Agenda 2030 today, will be made available to the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) over the next four years as part of Budget 2017.

Trade Minister Todd McClay says a new all-of-government approach to tackling non-tariff barriers (NTBs) imposed on our exporters will deliver real benefits to business.

The Clearing House, announced as part of Trade Agenda 2030 today, ensures that New Zealand exporters will be able to access the best information and support on trade barriers in a single place.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has welcomed the announcement by Pacific Alliance Ministers that they will look to progressively advance their trade agenda and says this is likely to provide significant opportunity for New Zealand exporters.   

The Pacific Alliance will offer Associate Membership of the alliance as a precursor to trade negotiations with selected countries.    

Mr McClay met formally with Pacific Alliance Ministers in Chile yesterday to pitch a trade deal between New Zealand and the Alliance.  

Viña del Mar, Chile - High Level Representatives from Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Malaysia, Peru, and Singapore and Vietnam met here today to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on the margins of the High Level Dialogue on Integration Initiatives for the Asia Pacific.

Trade Minister Todd McClay travels from London to Chile today for the first combined meeting of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries following the United States’ withdrawal from the agreement.

“I welcome the opportunity to sit down with other TPP ministers, to take stock of current developments and to look at how we might move this important agreement forward together,” Mr McClay says.

Mr McClay says he believed the TPP Agreement continued to offer value as a common set of rules across the Asia-Pacific region.

Trade Minister Todd McClay met International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox and Minister for Trade Policy Lord Price today to reaffirm their joint commitment to global trade liberalisation, and lay the foundations for the future trade relationship between the UK and New Zealand.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox asserted the importance the UK places on its trading relationship with New Zealand, with total trade in goods and services between the two countries increasing by 13 per cent between 2014-15.

Trade Minister Todd McClay and European Union Trade Commissioner Cecelia Malmström have agreed the completion of joint scoping discussions towards an EU-NZ Free Trade Agreement (FTA) following a meeting in Brussels today.

After almost 2 years of discussion, reaching this significant milestone means the FTA process now enters a new phase, where the Commission and New Zealand will seek respective mandates to commence negotiations.

Trade Minister Todd McClay will travel to Brussels for Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with the European Union (EU) this weekend and will then go on to London for a meeting of Commonwealth Trade Ministers.

“The simple aim of my visit to Brussels is to meaningfully advance efforts to commence our FTA negotiations with the EU,” Mr McClay says.