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Trade Minister Tim Groser has welcomed the signing of a Protocol to amend the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA).

“The changes included in the Protocol will make AANZFTA more business-friendly, transparent and flexible,” Mr Groser says.

Mr Groser and other AANZFTA economic ministers signed the Protocol today at a meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

Minister Tim Groser travels to Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, this week to participate in a series of annual regional trade meetings.  He will also attend the Sixth Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations in Bali, Indonesia.

Trade Minister Tim Groser will attend the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Sydney this weekend, and also participate in the preceding Business-20 (B20) summit, which will bring together a number of international business leaders.

“While not a core member of the G20, New Zealand is supportive of the G20’s aims - in particular its aspirations to lift global economic growth,” Mr Groser says.

Trade and Climate Change Minister Tim Groser has welcomed the formal launch of international negotiations on the liberalisation of environmental goods. 

The negotiations were launched overnight by a group of members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

“New Zealand is very pleased to be a part of this new initiative,” says Mr Groser.

Trade Minister Tim Groser departs today for Mexico to attend the Pacific Alliance Summit in Punta Mita, and undertake bilateral meetings in Mexico City. Mr Groser will then visit Washington D.C. and New York to carry out a range of trade and foreign affairs focussed activities.

New Zealand is an observer member of the Pacific Alliance, a Latin American trade bloc, with four member states - Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced the reappointment of Karen Fistonich and Robin Hapi to the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Board.

“I would like to thank Karen and Robin for their work on the board since they were first appointed in 2011, and look forward to their continued contributions to the work of NZTE,” Mr Joyce says.

Trade Minister Tim Groser departs today for Manila, Philippines where he will lead a delegation of ten companies on a trade mission to raise awareness and open doors in South East Asia.

"The Philippine economy has been among the fastest growing in Asia in recent times, and this is a good time to be forging close business ties,” says Mr Groser.

“Trade with the Philippines is underpinned by the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), which has now been in force for over four years.”

Trade Minister Tim Groser has announced that the fourth CER-ASEAN Integration Partnership Forum will take place in Auckland on 22 May 2014.

The annual Integration Partnership Forum aims to share lessons from the Closer Economic Relations Agreement (CER) between New Zealand and Australia with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Trade Minister Tim Groser will depart tomorrow for Qingdao, China to represent the New Zealand Government at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) on 17-18 May.

APEC Trade Ministers will be focusing on priority areas including: regional economic integration, promoting innovative development, economic reform and growth, and strengthening comprehensive connectivity and infrastructure development.

Minister of Trade and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs Tim Groser will visit Tunisia from 8-9 May - the first New Zealand Minister to do so since World War II.

As the first country to experience the "Arab Spring", Tunisia's transition period has not been without challenges,  but Tunisia  has made impressive progress in recent months, most notably with agreement on a new constitution.

New Zealand’s service sector ranked amongst the most open in a recent survey of 40 countries conducted by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) says Trade Minister, Tim Groser, speaking from the OECD's annual Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris. 

The OECD’s new Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI) aims to quantify the restrictiveness of policy measures related to trade in services for the 34 OECD members countries as well as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russia and South Africa across 18 sectors.

Trade Minister Tim Groser will depart today for the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, North Africa and France to undertake a range of activities and bilateral calls.

“The focus of my bilateral meetings in the UAE and Kuwait will be on strengthening Gulf relationships through ratification of the New Zealand-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement (NZ-GCC FTA), and promoting New Zealand’s value proposition as a food security, investment, and education partner,” Mr Groser says.

The Government is to boost NZTE's trade presence in China, South America and the Middle East to help more New Zealand firms break into these growing markets.

In a speech today to the North Harbour Club, Prime Minister John Key announced that Budget 2014 would contain funding of $69 million over the next four years (including $14 million of reprioritised funding) to help New Zealand Trade and Enterprise assist more exporters to succeed internationally.

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomes the release of a report by the World Economic Forum ranking New Zealand fourth in the world for enabling trade.

The Global Enabling Trade Report 2014 measures the extent that economies have institutions, policy, infrastructure and services in place that facilitate the flow of goods and services.

“New Zealand’s positive result endorses the Government’s Business Growth Agenda,” says Mr Groser.

Trade Minister Tim Groser and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy are leading an agribusiness delegation to Chile and Colombia from 23-28 March.

“Latin America is a valued trading partner for New Zealand and a fast growing region,” says Mr Groser. 

“Our relationship with Chile is thriving with a high level of engagement in areas such as energy and environment, agriculture and education. They are encouraging New Zealand business to explore future investment opportunities and we hope to build on this.

Trade Minister Tim Groser will depart today for Singapore to join Ministers from countries participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) for the next round of negotiations.

“The momentum of negotiations is accelerating, evidenced by the work completed by Ministers last December in identifying potential landing zones for the majority of key outstanding issues in the negotiations,” says Mr Groser.

Trade Minister Tim Groser today welcomed the significant progress made during the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Ministerial meetings in Singapore over the last four days. 

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomes the conclusion of the WTO Bali package reached at the 9th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia.

Speaking at the end of the four day biennial conference Mr Groser says, “It’s a modest deal but one well worth having at this time.”

“Although the Bali outcomes provided limited direct benefits for New Zealand, the cost of failure at Bali would have been very significant for the international trading system,” says Mr Groser.

Trade Minister Tim Groser has led a call at the WTO’s 9th Ministerial Conference in Bali for urgent action to protect global fish stocks. New Zealand has been coordinating a group of countries that includes Argentina, Australia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Iceland, Norway, Pakistan, Peru and the United States.

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomed Korea’s decision to resume formal negotiations toward a free trade agreement, following a meeting today in Bali with his Korean counterpart, Minister of Trade Yoon Sang-jick.

“The resumption of negotiations was discussed by Prime Minister John Key and Korean President Park Geun-hye during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Korea in July. I am pleased that their shared determination to conclude a free trade agreement has led to this point,” Mr Groser says.

Trade Minister Tim Groser will depart today for Bali Indonesia to attend the 9th World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference running from 3-6 December.

At the Conference Mr Groser will give his support to final efforts to achieve a package of new trade measures. “The continuing importance of the World Trade Organisation and its negotiating agenda to New Zealand should not be underestimated,” Mr Groser says.

Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomed today’s announcement that the Economic Cooperation Agreement between New Zealand and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu (Chinese Taipei) would enter into force on 1 December 2013.

Over four years, the Agreement between New Zealand and the separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu on Economic Cooperation (ANZTEC) delivers complete removal of tariffs on 99 percent of New Zealand’s current exports to Chinese Taipei, and 100 percent within 12 years.

Trade Minister Tim Groser will host H.E Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri the Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for economic and trade talks in Wellington today.

“The UAE is one of our most important partners in the Gulf region,” says Mr Groser. “I welcome this opportunity to discuss how we can grow our cooperation in areas including investment, tourism, education, innovation, renewable energy, and aviation.

“The UAE represents the primary entry point into the Middle East region for New Zealand, both in terms of people and goods.

Trade Minister Tim Groser will depart for Japan tomorrow before going on to the APEC Ministerial Meeting in Indonesia.

In Tokyo Mr Groser will be speaking at the 4th Japan/New Zealand Partnership Forum, which is being hosted by the New Zealand International Business Forum, and meeting Japanese ministers responsible for trade issues.

“Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations presents very significant opportunities for both countries.