Customs agreement signed with EU

Customs Minister Tim Macindoe welcomes the signing of a Customs Cooperation Agreement with the European Union in Brussels overnight.

The Agreement will strengthen cooperation with the European Union in such areas as Customs procedures and supply chain security and risk management.

Mr Macindoe says this Agreement signifies our joint ongoing commitment to close cooperation.

For New Zealand, the Agreement will:

• allow for closer cooperation on the delivery of technical assistance and capacity building activities we provide to other countries, particularly in the Pacific
• enable us to learn from each other particularly in terms of research and development in customs technology
• provide the opportunity to develop agreements with the European Union covering other facets of the customs relationship.

“The Agreement also represents a necessary first step towards agreeing a mutually recognised secure trade scheme, which will ultimately allow accredited companies faster clearance of exports into the European Union and New Zealand,” Mr Macindoe says.