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Justice Minister, Judith Collins, and Trade Minister, Tim Groser, have welcomed the European Commission’s formal declaration that New Zealand privacy law provides an adequate standard of data protection for the purposes of European Union (EU) law.

European Union countries can now send personal data to New Zealand for processing without the need for extra controls.

Ms Collins says New Zealand is one of only five countries outside Europe to receive this level of recognition and trust and this is a vote of confidence in New Zealand’s privacy laws.

Exporters will have access to improved support from the New Zealand Export Credit Office under changes announced by the Government today, Finance Minister Bill English and Trade Minister Tim Groser say.

The NZECO, which is based in The Treasury, is the Government’s official export credit agency. It provides financial guarantees and trade credit insurance to exporters and banks.

The main changes announced by the ministers today will:

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomes the arrival of over 500 negotiators from 11 countries to Round 15 of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, which runs from 3-12 December in Auckland.

“TPP participants already take around 38 percent of our exports and include our largest services and international procurement markets.

“A comprehensive 21st century agreement would provide many more opportunities to New Zealand businesses to grow their trade and investment footprint in the region,” says Mr Groser.

New Zealand has been granted observer status to the fast-growing Latin America economic bloc known as the Pacific Alliance, which includes Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru. 

Trade Minister Tim Groser says observer status gives New Zealand a chance to forge closer links in the region.

“New Zealand values its engagement with these like-minded Latin American countries. Intensifying our relationship with them via the Pacific Alliance provides real opportunities for New Zealand trade with the region.”

Trade Minister Tim Groser will meet with his Australian counterpart at the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Forum tomorrow in Canberra.

The forum provides an opportunity for New Zealand and Australia to review and progress the bilateral trade and economic relationship. 

“On both sides of the Tasman there is a high level of political commitment to strengthening and deepening our relationship, and this meeting will be important in helping us progress the single economic market agenda.”

Trade Minister Tim Groser today welcomed participants at the World Wine Trade Group (WWTG) annual meeting held in Auckland.

The WWTG is a grouping of trade negotiators, regulators and industry representatives from eight  ‘new world’ wine-producing countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Georgia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States, who together represent a third of global wine exports. 

Tim Groser, Trade Minister and Minister for Climate Change Issues, departs today for Indonesia and South Korea for trade policy and international climate change discussions.

In Jakarta Mr Groser will attend the World Export Development Forum where he will discuss New Zealand’s experience in meeting the demands of new consumer markets, particularly in emerging and developing economies.

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomes the announcement of the appointment of Tim Anderson as Trade Commissioner to Indonesia.

“This appointment will assist in taking New Zealand’s relationship with Indonesia to the next level. With 240 million people, Indonesia has the world’s fourth largest population and is the largest economy in the region, accounting for over one third of ASEAN’s GDP. It is expected to be one of the world’s top 10 economies by 2030,” Mr Groser says.

Trade Minister Tim Groser departs today to the United States and Canada for trade policy and climate change discussions.

In Washington Mr Groser will give a key address to the Coalition of Service Industries, along with his US, Canadian, Korean and Costa Rican trade counterparts. He will also discuss progress in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations with trade contacts and engage in a range of TPP and climate change outreach activities.

In Ottawa, Mr Groser will call on the Ministers of Trade, Finance, Agriculture and Agri-food, and Environment.

Trade Minister Tim Groser today welcomed the announcement that New Zealand will host the next round of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade negotiations over 3-12 December.

“I am very pleased that New Zealand will host delegations from TPP countries, and that we will play a central role in welcoming Canada and Mexico, whose participation marks a significant turning point in the negotiation and aligns with the original vision to create a truly regional, high quality, comprehensive, 21st century trade and investment agreement,” Mr Groser says.

New Zealand is part of a new initiative to create a regional free trade agreement in East Asia Trade Minister Tim Groser announced today.

Mr Groser is in Siem Reap, Cambodia, attending trade meetings hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Discussions are underway for negotiations on a new 16-member free trade agreement (FTA) involving the ten members of ASEAN, as well as Australia, China, India, Korea, Japan and New Zealand.

ASEAN has now proposed creating a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) involving all 16 countries.

Trade Minister Tim Groser will travel to Asia tomorrow for a series of meetings aimed at boosting trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr Groser will attend the East Asia Summit Economic Ministers meeting in Cambodia, visit Thailand for bilateral discussions and then head to the annual APEC Ministerial Meeting in Vladivostok.

“The continued economic dynamism in the Asia-Pacific region, and the significance of New Zealand’s trade links there, means that New Zealand must remain fully engaged in its rapidly evolving trade architecture,” Mr Groser says.

Trade Minister Tim Groser will meet with visiting United States Senator Max Baucus this week.

Senator Baucus, of Montana, is Chair of the US Senate Finance Committee and influential in trade policy, especially in relation to free trade agreements.

“Senator Baucus’ visit presents an excellent opportunity to discuss a range of trade issues, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations,” Mr Groser says.

New Zealand and the United States are among nine countries currently participating in the TPP negotiations.

Thank you for this opportunity to put forward some ideas about Global Governance and multilateral institutions in the first quarter of the 21st Century.  In responding to your invitation, I will stick more or less exclusively to the multilateral economic agenda, with a strong emphasis on trade and climate change – my two Ministerial responsibilities.

New Zealand Businesses will get better access to an estimated US$1.6 trillion worth of overseas government contracts, after New Zealand agreed to join the World Trade Organisation’s Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser announced today.

“Joining the GPA creates new opportunities for New Zealand businesses to export more products and services to more destinations,” Mr Joyce says.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced Government agencies are working on a broader ‘New Zealand Story’ - an initiative to help New Zealand companies gain an advantage in international markets.

The ‘New Zealand Story’ is one of the initiatives outlined in the “Building Export Markets” progress report launched today as part of the Government’s Business Growth Agenda.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced the appointment of Andrew Ferrier to the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Board.

Mr Ferrier has been appointed as Chair, for a three-year term commencing November 2012. He is the former Chief Executive of Fonterra, and has held a number of director and executive positions for large multi-nationals.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak today at the launch of the ANZ India New Zealand Business Forum's India Viewpoint.

I want to commend ANZ for this initiative and the advice to business that it has compiled about how to succeed in India. 

The publication echoes advice for a range of big emerging economies with which New Zealand businesses are increasingly engaging, for example China, or Indonesia, or Brazil. 

Tim Groser, Trade Minister and Minister for Climate Change Issues, departs tomorrow for Europe to attend trade and climate change related meetings.

Mr Groser will travel to Berlin to attend the Petersberg Climate Dialogue. This high-level gathering aims to give political guidance to the United Nations Climate Change negotiations in the lead up to the next major meeting, to be held in Doha, Qatar, in December this year.

I would like to start with a small reflective tribute to the late Sir Frank Holmes, an absolute stalwart of the PECC. This must be the first formal or informal PECC meeting I have attended in the last thirty years without Sir Frank being an integral part of the discussion.

Minister of Trade Tim Groser today welcomed the announcement that Canada, in addition to Mexico, will join Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Viet Nam in negotiations to conclude a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

“I have today issued a formal statement on behalf of all TPP parties welcoming Canada to the TPP negotiation. This follows yesterday’s announcement that Mexico will join the negotiations. New Zealand warmly congratulates our Canadian colleagues,” Mr Groser says.

Minister of Trade, Tim Groser is pleased to make the following statement on behalf of the nine members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

“Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States of America and Viet Nam today welcomed Canada as a new participant in negotiations to conclude a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

Minister of Trade, Tim Groser is pleased to make the following statement on behalf of the nine members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

“Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States of America and Viet Nam today welcomed Mexico as a new participant in negotiations to conclude a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

Minister of Trade Tim Groser this morning welcomed the announcement that Mexico will join Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Viet Nam in negotiations to conclude a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

“Since New Zealand is acting as the Depository of the TPP agreement, I have today issued a formal statement on behalf of all TPP parties welcoming Mexico to the TPP negotiation. I would like to add New Zealand’s own warm congratulations to our Mexican colleagues,” Mr Groser says.