Feb 19, 2018  -  Lord Mayor of London visits NZ to boost financial and professional sector links.  The Lord Mayor of London, an ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services industry, is visiting New Zealand at the head of a business delegation this week with the aim of strengthening trade links with the City of London.

Feb 12, 2018  - The government are planning to sign the re-branded Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) in Chile on March 8th 2018.

“The TPP might have been re-branded as the CPTPP but it's still the same bad deal”, says Professor Jane Kelsey, New Zealand's expert on international economic regulation.

Professor Kelsey will speak on the current situation of the CPTPP at a public meeting today, Monday 12th February at 6.30pm, in the Ellen Melville Hall, 1 Freyberg Place, Auckland CBD.

Rebranding it as "comprehensive and progressive" doesn't make it any better when it still contains the discredited ISDS (Investor-State Dispute Settlement) provisions which allow foreign investors to challenge the laws and policies of the New Zealand government in off-shore investor-state dispute settlement tribunals,” Professor Kelsey says." “ISDS is unchanged from the original text; it's only some peripheral enforcement options that have been suspended."

The suspended clauses and more could be reinserted into the TPP-11/CPTPP, as it appears there is interest from the US in rejoining. At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Donald Trump raised the possibility that the US might rejoin the new TPP.

Also speaking will be Dr Burcu Kilic from Public Citizen, Global Trade Watch (US), and Laila Harre, who will speak about the issues confronting the unions, and her assessment of the problems and solutions.

Prior to last year’s election, Labour, New Zealand First and the Green Parties all said that they would not support ratification of the TPP. During the parliamentary examination of the text, Labour cited concerns about sovereignty, secrecy and inadequate economic modelling leading to uncertainty in projected outcomes. The Greens added that the TPP is an obstruction to the imperative of sustainability. New Zealand First focused on the anticipated dangers of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). What has changed?

Local activists remain firmly opposed to the CPTPP. TPP Action Auckland spokesperson Lisa Er says that the concerns about Treaty rights, ISDS, environmental protection, constraints on climate action, and affordable healthcare are issues for all New Zealanders.

In the past there has been much concern from the public. The 3 News Reid Research Poll in November 2015 found, 87 per cent of NZ First voters, 84 per cent of Greens, 73 per cent of Labour, and 23 per cent of National voters opposed the TPP."

"CPTPP is an old-fashioned agreement that privileges multinational corporations over sustainable businesses," Er says, "TPP is not a sustainable agreement for the 21st Century."

Come and hear Professor Kelsey explain what this will mean for New Zealand. There will be an opportunity for questions afterwards.

The Auckland event will also be live streamed from 6.30pm on The Daily Blog at this link for all those who may not be able to make it along to a meeting.

For the details of meetings in other centres, please visit Its Our Future.

Source:  SCoop    ||  February 12, 2018   |||

Feb 09, 2018  -    Entries are now open to the Air New Zealand Cargo ExportNZ Awards 2018 - Auckland and Waikato.  Export business operations based in Northland, Auckland and/or the Waikato regions are eligible to enter.

Jan 31, 2018  -  On January 29, the Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) announced that New Zealand avocado has been granted official market access to China.Avocado exports are allowed from three production sides, including Youngs Hill Orchard, Springfield Orchard and Tarlena.....

Continue here to read the full article on FreshPlaza ||  January 30, 2018   |||

Jan 30, 2018  -  Both exports and imports reached new highs in 2017, as New Zealand earned more from agricultural products and bought more cars and computers, Stats NZ said today.

Jan 30, 2018 - Exports of milk powder, butter, and cheese lifted total exports to a record $5.6 billion in December 2017, Stats NZ said today. Monthly exports were $1.1 billion higher than in December 2016.

Jan 30, 2018  -New Zealand must continue to seek to increase our access to protected pastoral markets, but international trade deals come at a cost, writes economist Brian Easton

Nafta friction is behind renewed Canada participation

Canada’s stated determination to renew its participation in the Trans Pacific Partnership threatens to introduce a pack of wolverines into its own never-tranquil milking parlour.

Canada’s dairy industry is the world’s most fiercely protected

Deputy New Zealand prime minister Winston Peters has already hinted that Canada’s renewed enthusiasm for the Trans Pacific scheme has much to do with the North America Free Trade Agreement.

Jan 24, 2018 -BusinessNZ and ExportNZ have welcomed the revival of the Comprehensive Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope said the agreement of all 11 partners to the agreement had been hard won, and was immensely worthwhile.

Jan 24, 2018  - The EMA says it is great news the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is back on track and expected to be signed in March.