Trade Minister Tim Groser has welcomed an agreement reached in Geneva to lower tariffs on over 200 IT related products, building on the WTO’s 1996 Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products (ITA).
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced that New Zealand has finalised its accession to the World Trade Organisation’s Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), and it will come into effect next month.
New Zealand businesses will have guaranteed access to bid for an estimated US$1.7 trillion in annual overseas government contracts through joining the GPA, which creates new opportunities for Kiwi businesses to export more products and services to more destinations, Mr Joyce says.
Trade Minister Tim Groser will this month attend the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) meeting in Malaysia, before moving on to Europe to promote a future New Zealand-European Union free trade agreement and to further climate change negotiations.
“The RCEP ministerial and related meetings in Kuala Lumpur will be a chance to influence negotiations to keep the momentum going,” says Mr Groser.
New Zealand will commit to a new, more ambitious climate change target, Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser announced today.
“This target is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030,” Mr Groser said. “This is a significant increase on our current target of five per cent below 1990 emission levels by 2020.”
Trade Minister Tim Groser today welcomed the conclusions of the 5th World Trade Organisation Trade Policy Review of New Zealand.
“Once again NZ has been highly commended by the WTO for maintaining an open and transparent trade policy regime”, says Mr Groser.
“New Zealand’s last review occurred in 2009 at the time of the Global Financial Crisis. The review has highlighted how the Government’s sensible economic policies are taking New Zealand in the right direction.”
Trade Minister Tim Groser departs today for Peru to attend the Pacific Alliance Summit in Paracas, Peru from 1-3 July.
New Zealand is an observer member of the Pacific Alliance, a Latin American regional integration grouping established in 2011 with four member states - Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru.
Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser and Energy and Resources Minister, Simon Bridges, today welcomed an International Energy Agency (IEA) report on energy and climate change. Minister Groser is special adviser on climate change to the International Energy Agency.
The report highlights that world greenhouse gas emissions from energy production and use are double the level of greenhouse gas emissions from all other sources. It suggests a number of strategies to reduce these.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced new appointments and reappointments to the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) Board.
Wayne Norrie and Charlotte Walshe are new appointments to the Board. Andrew Ferrier (Chair), Charles Finny, Karen Fistonich and Robin Hapi have been reappointed to the Board, and Julie Christie and Karl Wixon have been reappointed to the New Zealand Story Advisory Board.
Trade Minister Tim Groser will represent New Zealand at the OECD’s annual Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) and Forum in Paris from 2 – 4 June.
“The forum and MCM is an opportunity for ministers to discuss a range of global challenges faced by many countries such as high unemployment, social inclusion, and low economic growth,” says Mr Groser.
“Themes at this year’s forum will invite discussion on how we can assist to address these issues through investment and innovation, trade and improving the business environment.”
Trade Minister Tim Groser welcomes the approval of legislation by the United States Senate that would grant Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).
TPA would allow the President to propose trade agreements that the US Congress can either approve or reject, but not change. The Senate voted to pass the bill 62 to 37 with bipartisan support.
“The passage of TPA through the Senate is a welcome development, however the bill still needs to be approved by the US House of Representatives" says Mr Groser.
Trade Minister Tim Groser will depart tonight for Boracay, Philippines to represent the New Zealand Government at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) on 22-24 May.
APEC Trade Ministers will be focusing on the Philippines theme of “building inclusive economies” through specific work streams on: regional economic integration, fostering SME participation in the global economy, developing human capital and building sustainable communities.
Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser today called for public submissions on New Zealand‘s post 2020 climate change target.
In December countries will meet in Paris to establish a new climate change agreement. Ahead of the Paris conference, countries are expected to announce the action they will take to curb climate change. All countries have been asked to put forward a national target to reduce harmful emissions after 2020.
Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced changes designed to strengthen government investment in developing New Zealand’s export sector via the International Growth Fund.
The Fund invests up to $30 million annually as part of a package of targeted and tailored services from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) that help exporters accelerate growth in international markets.
Trade Minister Tim Groser will today depart for Mexico to attend the 2015 World Economic Forum (WEF) Latin American meeting from 6-8 May.
The forum will be attended by many leaders, particularly from around the Americas, with the overarching purpose to observe how Latin America can secure its long-term economic growth and social development.
“Mexico has made a number of reforms in areas such as education, energy, fiscal and telecommunications legislation – which are already creating new opportunities,” says Mr Groser.
Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy have welcomed news of a breakthrough by New Zealand researchers which offers the potential to cut greenhouse gas emissions from sheep and cattle by 30 to 90 percent without cutting production.
This breakthrough in methane inhibitors was made by researchers working through the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre and Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium.
Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser today led a coalition of governments calling for the phase-out of subsidies to fossil fuels in the lead-up to a major climate conference in Paris.
Minister Responsible for Climate Change Issues Tim Groser departs for Washington tonight to participate in the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate Change (MEF) at the invitation of US Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern.
The MEF draws together Ministerial representatives of the world’s largest emitters and invited observers in a bid to accelerate progress in negotiation of the future climate change agreement due to conclude in Paris this December.
Minister for Climate Change Issues Tim Groser welcomes the release of the latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory report by the Ministry for the Environment. The report covers the period since 1990 and provides details about emissions and removals for the 2013 year.
In 2013 New Zealand’s total gross greenhouse gas emissions were 81 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, a decrease of 1.4 per cent over the previous year.
Trade Minister Tim Groser and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith today announced that Government will implement the Geographical Indications (Wine and Spirits) Registration Act.
“The Act will set up a registration regime for wine and spirit geographical indications, similar to the trademark registration regime,” Mr Groser says.
Trade Minister Tim Groser today signed the New Zealand Korea Free Trade Agreement with his Korean counterpart Yoon Sang-jick.
“Improving access to international markets through free trade agreements is a key component of the Government’s Business Growth Agenda. Supporting our exporters is crucial to creating new jobs and boosting incomes for New Zealanders,” says Mr Groser.
“This Agreement secures the long-term future of New Zealand exporters to Korea whose international competitors were benefiting from Korea’s other FTAs.
The Government is taking a criminal threat to contaminate food products very seriously, and is reassuring parents that our infant and other formulas are safe and that extra testing and security measures have been implemented as a further safeguard.
The New Zealand Police and the Ministry of Primary Industries announced today they have been working with a range of agencies to assess and respond to a threat to contaminate infant and other milk formula products in an apparent protest over the use of 1080 pest control.
Trade Minister Tim Groser departs for China tonight to undertake a range of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) related meetings including discussions with his trade counterpart, Minister Gao Hucheng.
