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  1. Negotiations

New Zealand


New Zealand is a party to a number of completed free trade and investment agreements. These are: the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Agreement (1983); the New Zealand-Singapore Closer Economic Partnership (2001); the New Zealand-Thailand Closer Economic Partnership (2005); the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership or P4 (2005); the New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement (2008), the Australia-ASEAN-New Zealand free trade agreement (2009), the New Zealand-Malaysia FTA (2009),an FTA with the GCC, (2009) and the New Zealand-Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership (2010).

A New Zealand-India deal has been mooted. New Zealand’s government has indicated that it wants FTAs with Korea and Taiwan

While talk of a US-New Zealand FTA was hotly resisted and never got off the ground, partly because of New Zealand’s anti-nuclear policy, the expansion of what was initially called the P4 agreement to include the US (the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement) threatens to bring important changes to New Zealand policies.

New Zealand has also signed a number of IPPAs (bilateral investment treaties) with Chile, Argentina, Hong Kong, China and others.

last update: May 2012
Photo: NZ Free Trade Watch / Facebook

NZ-US relations: the factors that bind us
25-Oct-2005     stuff
A US-New Zealand FTA remains the ultimate prize.
Greens's FTA stand no problem for PM
2-Sep-2005    
The Prime Minister appears prepared to let the Green party vote against trade treaties if it goes into coalition with Labour.
Devil's in the trading detail
23-Aug-2005    
The first member of President George W. Bush's Cabinet to visit New Zealand has a positive message to take back to his Washington boss. Mike Johanns - appointed Agriculture Secretary earlier this year - was impressed by just how "New Zealand, to the person that I've talked to, is pro-trade".
NZ-US free trade deal not on agenda
23-Aug-2005    
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said on Tuesday that a free trade agreement with New Zealand was not on the Bush administration's agenda, but remains a possibility in the future.
NZTE tells business: Get ready for Malaysia FTA
2-Aug-2005    
A free trade agreement with Malaysia is just around the corner and businesses should begin preparing to take advantage of the opportunities it will bring, according to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) Kuala Lumpur Trade Commissioner Jeff Shepherd.
The regional free trade juggernaut - A poisoned chalice
25-Apr-2005    
Last week saw both the signing of a Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and Thailand and another round of negotiations with Chile and Singapore on a Closer Economic Partnership, (P-3) probably now 'successfully' concluded. "Yet few New Zealanders know about these agreements and their negative implications for many of the worst off citizens in all the countries involved", says the Action Research and Education Network of Aotearoa (ARENA).
NZ and Malaysia launch FTA negotiations
31-Mar-2005     Scoop
Prime Minister Helen Clark announced today that Malaysia and New Zealand have agreed to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement as soon as possible.
Free trade deal highlights clash over service sector
12-Mar-2005    
New Zealand's free trade agreement with Thailand, which is due to come into effect on July 1, has no commitments to liberalize trade in services. It only requires the parties to begin negotiations within three years.
AmCham to push for US-NZ FTA
24-Feb-2005     NBR
The American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand said today it would take the case for opening free trade negotiations direct to Washington.
Sutton welcomes US group's push for FTA
19-Feb-2005    
New Zealand Trade Minister Jim Sutton yesterday welcomed a push by a group of United States politicians for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.