Free_Trade

Economic efficiency, stability, and competitiveness New Zealand has completed more than a decade of economic restructuring, and now has a stable economy well geared for long term international competitiveness. The privatisation of utilities and state services like postage and rail services has created one of the world’s most efficient, competition-friendly economies. A free and independent press ensures corporate and government decision-making is transparent and fair. This openness and competitiveness extends to international companies doing business in New Zealand; the country ranks third in the world in ease of cross-border transactions, according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook, 2005. The New Zealand Government is proactive in providing an environment that enables international investors to relocate, and/or collaborate with New Zealand companies. Free Trade New Zealand’s close trade and legal relationship with Australia gives businesses operating from New Zealand duty free access to a population of 24 million. Our free trade relationships, including recent economic co-operation agreements with Singapore and Thailand, and world-first negotiations with the People’s Republic of China, will significantly increase the size of the New Zealand consumer market. If you’re looking for an exceptional lifestyle and fresh investment opportunities, New Zealand can provide you with both. New policies for business migrants make New Zealand more attractive and more accessible than ever - for business people and entrepreneurs who can make a contribution to our economy. Along with these new polices, the Government is also investing $7.5 billion in improving New Zealand’s infrastructure over the next five years to boost productivity and unlock the country’s economic potential. These developments will enhance changes over the past decade which have seen a dramatic move in New Zealand towards a more sophisticated, free market economy that competes globally. Continual growth has broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector and given business the impetus to invest in new technology and staff in order to compete domestically and off-shore. Some of our more progressive industries include information and communications technology, tourism, film and special effects production, biotechnology, agricultural research and wood-based technology. Small businesses are especially notable in New Zealand. The exciting thing about small businesses in New Zealand is that they think like big businesses. And produce big ideas. This innovation has inspired thousands of New Zealand entrepreneurs to set up small businesses and succeed. Their dynamic ideas have helped propel New Zealand to rank 20th (out of 134 countries) in the World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010. New Zealand’s free market philosophy, sound economic outlook and stable business environment, coupled with a highly educated and multi-talented workforce, mean the opportunities and rewards for business are immense. Seven Good Reasons: New Zealand is a great place to be in business. A 2009 Report from Legatum Institute, a London-based think tank, ranks New Zealand as the world's 10th most prosperous country. The report measures wealth and "general wellbeing". New Zealand has the highest proportion of opportunity entrepreneurs in the OECD and ranks significantly higher than the US. We have a. New Zealand’s demographics replicate those of larger markets and provide an excellent test-bed for new products and services. Overseas companies are already well represented in New Zealand, enjoying success in their own right or as part of a joint collaboration with local enterprise. Creativity drives New Zealand – from design and production of pleasure craft to super yachts, from electric fencing to ion-beam magnets, and from video animation techniques to The Lord of the Rings. New business immigration policies make it easier for business people and investors to gain residency, with realistic minimum investment levels, a wide range of qualifying investment options and assistance with identifying investment opportunities. Transport and logistics connections New Zealand has extensive road and rail transport systems, and effective inter-island links. Our privately-run deep-water ports are served by over 30 global and regional shipping lines at internationally-competitive stevedoring costs. International airports in seven urban centres across the country are served by most major international airlines. telecommunications infrastructure New Zealand’s telecommunications infrastructure includes five international submarine cable systems and four onshore mobile networks. The Southern Cross cable alone delivers 240 Gbit/s of fully-protected bandwidth to the United States mainland, Hawaii, Australia and Fiji. As demand increases capacity can be doubled to 480Gbit/s. Australia/NZ - ASEAN Free Trade Agreement Negotiations ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Conclude Negotiations The negotiations between ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand for a Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) were concluded at the 13th annual meeting of the ASEAN Economic Ministers-Closer Economic Relations (AEM-CER) consultations in Singapore on 28 August 2008. The Agreement is a comprehensive single undertaking FTA between ASEAN and Australia and New Zealand. Commitments were also given to resolve specific bilateral market access issues between Australia and Indonesia and Malaysia. The Minister for Trade, Mr Simon Crean, who represented Australia at the AEM-CER Consultations, said Australia stood to gain considerably from the trade agreement. Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Agreement (ANZCERTA) Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA) Social Security Agreement 2002 Agreed Minute on Industry Assistance Leaders from Australia, the 10 countries ASEAN, and New Zealand agreed in Laos in 2004 to launch negotiations on an FTA and the first round of negotiations was held in March 2005. Leaders decided that the FTA would be comprehensive, covering trade in goods and services, and investment in a Single Undertaking. The initiative originated from efforts begun in the early 1990s under the then-Labor Government to develop closer linkages between the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations (CER) Agreement. AANZFTA is Australia’s first multi-country (plurilateral) FTA. It was the first time Australia and New Zealand have been involved jointly in negotiating an FTA with third countries. It was the first time ASEAN has embarked on comprehensive FTA negotiations covering all sectors including goods, services and investment, intellectual property simultaneously. And, the agreement is the most comprehensive trade agreement that ASEAN has ever negotiated. The ten ASEAN countries have a population of 570 million people, third after China and India and a combined GDP of estimated at around US$1 trillion, second only to China in emerging Asia. As a group, ASEAN is a larger trading partner for Australia (16 per cent) than any single country, including Japan (13 per cent), China (12 per cent) or the United States (11 per cent). However ASEAN attracted only a modest 5% of Australia’s foreign direct investment as at December 2007.