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Trade Minister Todd McClay today published a summary of what New Zealand businesses think about Brexit and the impact they believe it could have on trade with the United Kingdom – New Zealand’s fifth largest trading partner.
This follows a public consultation held earlier in the year to better understand the position of New Zealand exporters and investors into the UK market.
A total of 18 submissions were received, with businesses sighting a combination of potential opportunities and challenges from the United Kingdom’s decision to separate from the European Union.
“Understanding the views of New Zealand businesses is fundamental to ensuring that the Government focuses on the areas that count for our exporters,” says Mr McClay.
Some businesses thought the UK might move towards a more open market and indicated that this could boost trade. Several companies emphasised the importance of the UK and the EU respecting their WTO commitments.
Conversely, a number of submitters expressed the view that the UK may adopt a move towards greater protectionism.
“Specifically, some businesses saw an opportunity for the UK to streamline standards and compliance, which would impact positively on trade,” says Mr McClay.
“Last month, I established a trade policy dialogue with UK, laying the foundations for a more formal trading relationship with the UK once it is in a position to negotiate independently of the European Union.
“Yesterday, in London, I met with Alok Sharma, the UK Minister for Asia and the Pacific and reiterated New Zealand’s intention to work with the UK to preserve and enhance our important and longstanding trade relationship.
“I have had similar conversations with UK Trade Minister, Liam Fox, and am grateful for the assurances that New Zealand’s trade interests will be protected in this changing environment.
“This latest feedback from New Zealand businesses will help to ensure that we safeguard New Zealand’s interests as this process unfolds,” says Mr McClay.
Trade Minister Todd McClay has welcomed the release of two studies which shed new light on the cost and impact of unnecessary red tape and arbitrary trade rules on New Zealand’s exports.
“Technically referred to as non-tariff barriers, these unfair obstacles are costing New Zealand businesses US$5.9 billion every year,” says Mr McClay.
This is according to a report released this week by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research. The research was commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign and Trade as a contribution to Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) work on this issue.
In parallel to this, the APEC Business Advisory Council has released a new study showing that, due to non-tariff barriers, food trade is more difficult and expensive than it should be, undermining goals of food security in the Asia Pacific region.
“Non-tariff barriers to trade are a pervasive, costly issue for our exporting businesses. As the studies show, even as our growing network of trade agreements has reduced the costs for our exports, there has been a significant rise in the number of non-tariff barriers that exporters face,” says Mr McClay.
“These new studies underline the importance of the Government’s efforts to address non-tariff barriers, to ensure that New Zealand businesses can compete on a level playing field overseas.
“Addressing non-tariff barriers has always been a significant part of our export-focused work. It is core work for a range of government agencies.
“A cross agency group has been set up under the Government’s Business Growth Agenda to get to grips with the impact that non-tariff barriers are having on our exporters and what we can do to get rid of them. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is encouraging its export customers to come forward with market access issues they may be encountering.
“Reducing the impact of non-tariff barriers on New Zealand business has also been highlighted as one of the key issues under the Government’s refreshed trade policy strategy.”
Mr McClay, who was recently in Lima for the annual APEC Summit, welcomed the role that APEC has been playing in highlighting the issues posed by non-tariff barriers.
“I am pleased to see APEC taking a leadership role on this issue. New Zealand has been a big driver of this work and we will continue to make a strong contribution to APEC’s efforts in this area,” says Mr McClay.
Links:
http://nzier.org.nz/static/media/filer_public/51/5f/515f28b2-4c78-41f3-a...
http://www.apec.org/Press/News-Releases/2016/1117_ABAC.aspx
TEHRAN, Nov. 29 (MNA) – Iran's Ambassador to New Zealand Jalalelddin Namini Mianeji on Tuesday announced that the two countries enjoy growing economic and political relations.
He said New Zealand’s Trade Minister Todd McClay, heading a private sector economic delegation, will travel to Europe and Iran over the next week to take part in a number of trade-related events.
His team will hold talks and meetings with Iranian officials on examining ways to develop and deepen bilateral economic relations in post-JCPOA era.
"This is the first high-ranking economic delegation of New Zealand that enters Iran during post-sanctions era," Namini underlined.
Iran's ambassador to New Zealand stressed that the two countries had good cooperation in industrial and technology fields in the past, including the renewable energy.
He also pointed to the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the country earlier this year, saying Iran presented a $1 billion prospect for New Zealand.
Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has today released the 2016 Science and Innovation System Performance Report, the first of an annual series which presents data on the research outputs, impacts, funding, and overall performance of science and innovation in New Zealand.
“This report provides us with a performance benchmark against other OECD countries including the other small advanced economies – Israel, Switzerland, Singapore, Finland, Ireland and Denmark,” Mr Joyce says.
“The report increases transparency by showing how public funding for science and innovation is being invested, and it begins to give a direct line-of-sight to the benefits that funding brings for the New Zealand economy, environment and society.”
Key findings from the 2016 Science and Innovation System Performance Report include:
The report includes examples of the impacts of different scientific developments in New Zealand, who was involved, how they were funded, and the results that occurred. Future reports will provide more comprehensive assessment of science impacts to give a robust picture of the overall benefits of science investment.
The National Statement of Science Investment (NSSI), published in 2015, set out the Government’s vision for 2025: “A highly dynamic science system that enriches New Zealand, making a more visible, measurable contribution to our productivity and wellbeing through excellent science”.
The NSSI committed to publishing regular system performance reports. This annual report will track progress against NSSI goals and become a valuable evidence base to inform government policy decisions and longer-term strategy. It includes information on R&D activity across the government, higher-education and private sectors.
“Achieving the NSSI vision will require reliable, timely information and robust evaluation of science and innovation system performance,” Mr Joyce says.
“This government invested $410.5 million new funding in science and innovation over four years through Budget 2016. We know that better performance data will enable us to target our growing science investments effectively and to maximise their long-term value to New Zealand.”
This report complements the first Research, Science and Innovation Domain Plan, released by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) in September 2016. The domain plan provides a long-term picture of what is required to improve official statistics, data and information in this area, and a coordinated, cross-agency plan for addressing the issues.
The Science and Innovation System Performance Report is available here.
Italian Deputy Minister for Economic Development, Ivan Scalfarotto and New Zealand Minister of Trade, Todd McClay, have jointly hosted a business event in Milan today committing to doubling two-way trade between the two countries.
Mr McClay is on a trade promotion visit to Europe and today joined his Italian counterpart at a Business Roundtable with 30 New Zealand and Italian businesses.
“At my last meeting with Mr Scalfarotto, we reaffirmed our commitment to expanding bilateral trade and agreed to bring our business communities together,” says Mr McClay.
Mr Scalfarotto said today's Roundtable event had demonstrated the supportive business environments and commercial opportunities that exist in both countries and celebrated the areas of collaboration and innovation between New Zealand and Italy.
Two way trade currently stands at NZ$1.5 billion and is focused on machinery, hides and wool, food and beverage, and technology.
The two ministers believe two-way trade can double and have committed to create more business-to-business links to allow this to happen.
“Another way to expand trade ties is through the conclusion of a Free Trade agreement between New Zealand and the European Union, which will bring win-win outcomes for both countries,” says Mr McClay.
He thanked Mr Scalfarotto for his support.
The new Customs and Excise Bill will strengthen border management and make life simpler for businesses, says Customs Minister Nicky Wagner.
“The Bill will take the place of the out-dated Customs and Excise Act 1996, which is difficult to understand and apply, creating unnecessary compliance costs for business,” Ms Wagner says.
“Businesses’ obligations will be clearer and there will be more flexibility in meeting them in the new modern legislation.
“We have addressed concerns raised by the public during consultation around Customs’ powers to search e-devices at the border.
“Customs’ powers to examine and access electronic devices will be restricted through a two-stage search threshold. This means that Customs will only be able to search a device if they have a reasonable suspicion or belief of offending under the Act.
“The new search powers strike a balance between protecting privacy and ensuring that Customs can continue to protect our borders.
“There will also be greater assurance for all New Zealanders that border risks and non-compliance will be identified and minimised.”
The Bill proposes a number of changes that support the movement of travellers and goods across the border, protect New Zealand from harm, and support the collection of Crown revenue, including:
“The Bill modernises but does not substantially change most of the provisions in the current Act, and will provide Customs with modern flexible legislation needed to protect the border.”
“Some detail has been moved into regulations to enable changes to be made in response to emerging risks and new technologies and risk management approaches,” Ms Wagner says.
Food Safety Minister Jo Goodhew is welcoming progress on improving food labelling, including consistent labelling of added fats and oils that are high in saturated fatty acids.
“As Food Safety Minister my priority for New Zealand consumers is food safety and public health. For nutrition purposes, the labelling of high saturated oils like palm oil and coconut oil should be consistent with New Zealand and Australia’s dietary guidelines. I made New Zealand’s position clear at today’s meeting of the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation,” Mrs Goodhew says.
The Forum discussed Recommendation 12, which states that where the terms “added fats” and “added vegetable oils” are used in the ingredient list of a food, they should be followed by a bracketed list describing the source of the fat or oil, for example: added vegetable oils (“sunflower oil, palm oil”).
“This recommendation addresses health concerns about high saturated fats contained in some oils and provides consistency with New Zealand’s dietary guidelines.”
The Forum has a framework that it applies when developing food labelling policy. This framework is underpinned by an issues hierarchy. The hierarchy means that mandatory labelling applies for food safety and preventative health reasons, and voluntary labelling for consumer values.
“The Forum agreed that Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), in consultation with the Food Regulation Standing Committee, should prepare a programme of work that will address this and to present this at the next Forum meeting in April 2017.
“This programme of work will further investigate labelling approaches, for providing information on sugars and added fats/vegetables oils, as separate issues.
“New Zealand officials will lead policy work with the intention of identifying next steps in relation to naming sources of fats and oils to support consumers to make informed choices, consistent with the Australian and New Zealand dietary guidelines,” says Mrs Goodhew.
The communique is available HERE, and more information about the Forum activity is available at www.foodregulation.gov.au.
The government is updating copyright regulations to ensure the Copyright Act 1994 full takes account of New Zealand international copyright obligations, says Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith.
“When a foreign work is protected by copyright in New Zealand, it is protected because of international agreements to which New Zealand is a party to. Our Copyright Act needs updating from time to time to ensure continuity with our international obligations,” says Mr Goldsmith.
Amendments to the Copyright (Application to Other Countries) Order 1995 (the Order) will provide nationals of countries who have recently joined the World Trade Organization, the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works and the Universal Copyright Treaty with copyright protection in New Zealand.
“A significant number of new countries have joined one or more of these agreements since the Order was last updated in 2000.
“At the same time, amendments to the Order will help ensure New Zealand’s creative community of copyright owners receive reciprocal protection in these countries,” says Mr Goldsmith.
The update also includes some minor technical amendments to bring the language of regulations into line with changes previously made to the Copyright Act through the Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act 2008.
The regulation update takes effect 1 January 2017.
| Wellington, Nov 23, 2016 | - Advice to the building industry on restraining ceilings, ducting and other non-structural elements will improve the safety and resilience of commercial buildings during earthquakes, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith says.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today released two practice advisories to the building sector on non-structural elements and secondary structural elements in commercial buildings.
“Structural failures in buildings pose the greatest risk to people’s lives but elements such as ceiling panels and ducting can injure people and cause death. These failures are a major component of the post-earthquake repair cost and can significantly disrupt businesses and their staff while repairs take place.
“We are seeing too many examples of ceiling panels, ducting and features such as hanging sculptures failing in the Christchurch, Seddon and now Kaikoura earthquakes. Often these features are added after the building has had its Code Compliance Certificate issued, without sufficient thought to the risks they pose in a seismic event. Particular care needs to be taken with those additions which are sufficiently large to cause an injury or death.
“The guidance is a clear reminder to architects, engineers, contractors, building owners and councils of their responsibilities under the Building Act, that they must make sure the risk of collapse of non-structural elements is low. The various players need to take a well-planned approach to make sure the design is co-ordinated and building elements are appropriately restrained.”
The guidance on secondary structural elements, such as precast panels and stairs, emphasises design requirements to ensure those elements perform in an earthquake. MBIE regularly issues and updates guidance on best practice in building design and construction.
“There is a heightened risk of aftershocks in central New Zealand and it would be timely for people to make sure items such as filing cabinets are adequately restrained. Too many people were injured in commercial buildings by falling cabinets, storage racks and computer screens during the Christchurch earthquakes. Just as people should be making sure large items of furniture or televisions at home are secured, employers should take care to restrain office furniture,” Dr Smith says.
The practice advisories can be seen at: https://www.building.govt.nz/building-code-compliance/b-stability/b1-structure/practice-advisory-19 and https://www.building.govt.nz/building-code-compliance/b-stability/b1-structure/practice-advisory-20
WELLINGTON， Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand exports to South Korea have grown strongly since the two countries implemented a bilateral free trade agreement in December last year， Trade Minister Todd McClay said Tuesday.
In the first nine months since entry into force of the New Zealand-Korea Free Trade Agreement， food and beverage exports to South Korea rose 16 percent to 449 million NZ dollars (317.17 million U.S. dollars) compared to the same period a year earlier， McClay said in a statement ahead of the first anniversary of the agreement.
"Those products where tariffs have been eliminated immediately have fared extremely well，" said McClay.
Exports of New Zealand cherries to Korea， for example， which previously had a tariff of 24 percent， have more than doubled (221 percent) to 4.3 million NZ dollars (3.04 million U.S. dollars) between January and the end of September while New Zealand wine exports rose 28 percent to 1.9 million NZ dollars (1.34 million U.S. dollars) following the removal of a 15 percent tariff.
Butter exports were up 150 percent to 12 million NZ dollars (8.48 million U.S. dollars) and cheese exports were up 13 percent to 58 million NZ dollars (40.99 million U.S. dollars).
"There has also been significant improvement in export items where tariffs will be removed over time，" said McClay.
The value of New Zealand's substantial kiwifruit exports to Korea have grown 18 percent so far this year to reach 65 million NZ dollars (45.94 million U.S. dollars). Avocados are up 39 percent， meat extracts for food preparations up 62 percent， and deer velvet up 81 percent， he said.
Many exporters can look forward to further improvements to their products' competitiveness in the Korean market when the third round of tariff cuts under the FTA (free trade agreement) takes place on Jan. 1， 2017， the minister said.
In the year ending September， South Korea was New Zealand's sixth largest goods export market worth 1.5 billion NZ dollars (1.06 million U.S. dollars).
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
