RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/TPR/G/115
14 April 2003
(03-1966)
Trade Policy Review Body Original:  English
TRADE POLICY REVIEW
NEW ZEALAND
Report by the Government
Pursuant to the Agreement Establishing the Trade Policy Review Mechanism
(Annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade
Organization), the policy statement by the Government of New Zealand is
attached.
Note: This report is subject to restricted circulation and press embargo until the end of the meeting
of the Trade Policy Review Body on New Zealand.New Zealand WT/TPR/G/115
Page 3
CONTENTS
Page
I. TRADE AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 5
II. NEW ZEALAND ECONOMIC POLICY 5
Sustainable Development 6
The Growth and Innovation Framework 6
Taxation Policy 6
Investment 7
Tariff Policy 7
III. NEW ZEALAND TRADE POLICY INITIATIVES 7
Multilateral Initiatives 7
The World Trade Organisation 7
Market Access 8
Rules 8
Dispute settlement 9
Trade and Development 9
Labour and Environment Standards 10
Bilateral and Regional Initiatives 10
Australia/New Zealand Closer Economic Relationship 11
Agreement between New Zealand and Singapore on a Closer Economic Partnership 11
Other CEP/FTA initiatives 12
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) 12
Trade Policy Outreach 13New Zealand WT/TPR/G/115
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I. TRADE AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
1. Ranked by the Centre for International Trade and Economics as the third freest economy in
the world, New Zealand’s economy is performing well.  Real GDP growth was 4.0% recorded over
2002, one of the best performances in the OECD. Gr owth averaged 3.3% over the past 4 years (1999
–2002).  In 2002 unemployment has also fallen to a 15 year low of 4.9%.
2. The latest official forecasts prepared by the New Zealand Treasury showed economic growth
peaking at 4.1% in the March 2003 year, some moderation over 2003/04 to 2.5% before a return to
around 3% over 2004/05 and 2005/06.
3. Solid economic growth has been reflected in a further strengthening of the government’s
fiscal position.  New Zealand has posted fiscal surp luses every year since the last review, averaging
1.8% over the last 6 years.  The government’s operating balance (fiscal surplus) was $2.4 billion (2%of GDP) for the year to June 2002.  The operating surplus is expected to rise to 3% of GDP over the
year to June 2003.
4. Good commodity prices, increased agricultural production and rising services exports
contributed to a large fall in the current account deficit over the year to March 2002.  Since then the
deficit has begun to widen again, mainly reflecting declining world commodity prices and asubsequent fall in New Zealand’s terms of trade.  In the December 2002 year the value of
New Zealand’s merchandise exports declined 5.1% to $31 billion
1.  Over the same period
merchandise imports rose 2.1% to $32.4 billion.  However, since New Zealand’s last review in 1996,
total exports have risen 53%.
5. The New Zealand dollar has risen significantly over the last year, from a low of 41.6 cents
against the US dollar in January 2002 to around 56 cents currently.  On a trade weighted basis the
increase in the exchange rate is slightly less, but at 21% higher, its low point in January 2002, theincrease is still significant.
6. CPI inflation was 2.7% during 2002, which is higher  than the 1.7% average over the 6 years
since last review.  Inflation outcomes remain in line with New Zealand’s monetary policy objectives.
7. The Government is committed to fostering the transformation of New Zealand into a leading
knowledge-based economy, promoting specialised skills, high employment, and value-addedproduction.  Underpinning this focus has been strong  growth in New Zealand’s export of services, up
61% since 1996.
II. NEW ZEALAND ECONOMIC POLICY
8. The 1996 Trade Policy Review of New Zealand sets out in detail the trade and economic
reforms of the late 1980s and the 1990s that transformed New Zealand into a more open andcompetitive economy.  These changes proved their value when the more resilient and efficient
economy successfully weathered the 1998 Asian financial crisis.
9. The economic reforms appear to have made a significant contribution to arresting
New Zealand’s relative economic decline.  However, they may not be sufficient to substantially
increase New Zealand’s sustainable growth rate.  In this context, the Government has recognized theneed to address the effects of relative income decl ine on the ability to attract and retain capital and
labour, and that New Zealand’s ability to integrate with the rest of the world and stay abreast of
                                                     
1 Unless otherwise stated, all figures are in New Zealand dollars.  At 01/03/03 NZ$1 = US 56cWT/TPR/G/115 Trade Policy Review
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technological change is made more difficult by it s distance from major markets.  Consequently the
Government has assumed a more active role in economic development.  This is aimed at enhancing
New Zealand’s capacity for innovation, while continuing to strengthen the foundations of the
economy through addressing the quality and cost of regulation and the delivery of infrastructure.
Sustainable Development
10. The Government has established sustainable development as an overarching policy objective.
This recognises that improving overall wellbeing requires the Government’s economic, social,
environmental and cultural goals to be mutually supportive and complementary.  The Government has
recently published its Sustainable Development Programme of Action.   It sets out principles for policy
and decision making in government and four areas for action – quality and allocation of freshwater,
energy, sustainable cities, and child and youth development.  These areas are the initial focus becausethey are all complex issues requiring innovation and collaboration, and they are issues that
New Zealand needs to address now.  Partnerships with local government and other sectors are a key
feature of the sustainable development approach.  For most of these issues, other sectors have a major
role to play.  The Programme of Action  also has the objective of embedding the sustainable
development approach in the policy and decision-making processes of the government sector.  TheNew Zealand Programme of Action  takes account of the WSSD Plan of Implementation.
New Zealand continues to play a part in international action on issues such as energy, aid, trade,
oceans, biodiversity and climate change.
The Growth and Innovation Framework
11. Within this overarching objective, the Grow th and Innovation Framework sets out how the
Government intends to increase New Zealand’s su stainable growth rate. The goal is to return
New Zealand to the top half of the OECD in terms of GDP per capita and maintaining that position.Based on strong foundations (including institut ions, macroeconomic policy, and an open and
competitive micro economy), it is focused on working in partnership with other sectors to build more
effective innovation through enhancing the existing innovation framework, developing skills and
talent, and increasing New Zealand’s global conne ctedness.  As the Government’s resources are
limited, it is also initially focusing on the three sectors of the economy with perceived high growth
potential and ability to enhance productivity across the economy - biotechnology, information and
communications technology and the creative industries.
12. The aim is to transform the economy through the application of knowledge and innovation,
increasing New Zealand firms’ capacity to add valu e and their international competitiveness.  To
achieve higher incomes for New Zealanders it is crucial that an increasing proportion of high value-added goods and services are produced that are less vulnerable to the price and currency fluctuations
which have a significant impact on New Zealand’s commodity based exports.
Taxation Policy
13. In 1999, New Zealand raised its to tax rate, from 33% to 39% on incomes of more than
$60,000.  The top company tax rate remains at 33%.  A frequently asserted contention is thatNew Zealand is highly taxed by developed country standards.  This assertion usually rests upon a
misrepresentation, of the comparative tax rates and structures of different countries.
14. New Zealand is highly unusual in having very little by way of social security taxes or levies
on either individuals or businesses.  A recent Economist article compared the total cost to business of
corporate taxes, social security levies, local body rates, and excise duties. In the six countries studiedNew Zealand WT/TPR/G/115
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the total burden varied from 9.5 percent of GDP to 19 percent of GDP.  The comparative figure for
New Zealand is about 7 percent of GDP.
Investment
15. The New Zealand government welcomes direct in vestment from international companies as it
recognises the value that investment offers to the development of a value-added economy.
Participation can be by establishing new ventures, through relocation of your current operations, or byparticipating in strategic partnerships and joint ve ntures with New Zealand companies.  According to
the Index of Economic Freedom, New Zealand ranks third in the world in openness to FDI, behind
Hong Kong and Singapore.  The total stock of FDI in New Zealand was $48.3 billion as at
31 March 2002.  New Zealand’s stock of FDI overs eas totalled $16.1 billion.  Flows of FDI into
New Zealand were $640 million while flows of NZ FDI abroad were $720 million.
16. New Zealand operates a very open investment regime, with very few restrictions.  Domestic
firms in New Zealand do not enjoy a taxation advantage over foreign investors, and there are no
restrictions on the repatriation of funds.  OIC (Overseas Investment Commission) consent is required
for some land purchases and on taking control of business or property over a certain value.   There are
also some restrictions on foreign ownership within  the fishing and international airline industries.
Tariff Policy
17. After a significant unilateral tariff reduction programme commencing in 1988 New Zealand
announced in 2000 that tariffs would be frozen at July 1999 levels until July 2005.  Tariffs will only
be reduced prior to then on a reciprocal basis.  With 95 percent of global imports entering duty free by
1999, New Zealand has already secured most of the gains from lower import protection: firstly by the
removal of import licensing, and secondly by lowering the entire tariff profile to the point where
New Zealand has one of the lowest MFN average duty rates in the OECD at 4.1% .  New Zealand is
currently conducting a domestic tariff review to decide the shape of domestic tariff policy post 2005.
III. NEW ZEALAND TRADE POLICY INITIATIVES
18. With a population of less than 4 million, trade is essential to New Zealand’s prosperity.  With
exports of goods and services equivalent to almost 35 percent of New Zealand’s GDP, trade policy
remains a fundamental component of the Government’s broader economic polices designed topromote higher sustainable economic growth.  To ach ieve this growth, New Zealand needs to be able
to sell its goods and services abroad without the substantial barriers facing our areas of comparative
advantage.  Accordingly, New Zealand is committed to removing barriers to international trade, and
pursues trade liberalisation through multilateral, bilateral and regional initiatives.
Multilateral Initiatives
The World Trade Organisation
19. For a small country with global trading interests, a strong, rules based global trading system is
vital.  68% of New Zealand exports are resource-based commodities that face significant export
barriers.  The WTO remains the most important tool  in facilitating market access, and is the only
vehicle that can genuinely hold out the promise of multilateral liberalisation.
20. The Uruguay Round resulted in significant gains for the New Zealand economy.  Continued
growth and development cannot be taken for granted, however, and New Zealand is committed to
continuing to work hard to reduce distortions in the trading system and barriers to our exports.WT/TPR/G/115 Trade Policy Review
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21. The Doha Development Agenda is the Government’s top trade priority.  Only the significant
liberalisation of trade barriers through a successful round can deliver substantial economic and social
benefits to the wider membership of the WTO.  In particular, the round has the potential do deliver
significant benefits to developing countries, and New Zealand is committed to advancing
development issues as a key outcome of the round.
Market Access
22. An ambitious outcome in agriculture is a key issue for the Doha Round, not only for
New Zealand, but also for many other WTO members, currently facing significant barriers to
exporting their agricultural products.  New Zealand’s major agriculture exports are often subject to
quota restrictions in overseas markets – we face more barriers to exports in our area of comparative
advantage than any other member of the OECD.  New Zealand is committed to working closely withits Cairns Group colleagues to ensure an ambitious outcome on agriculture.  New Zealand’s priorities
for the WTO agriculture negotiations are clear:
- The elimination of all export subsidies as soon as possible.
- Significant increases to market access for agricultural exports across the board.
- Deep cuts to trade distorting domestic support.23. New Zealand's commitment to a successful outcome from the Doha round was illustrated by
its November 2002 proposal that all remaining tariffs on non-agricultural products should be
eliminated as an outcome of the negotiations.  New Zealand believes that if WTO members are to
meet the ambitious trade and developmental objectives of the Doha Development Agenda, a high
level of ambition will be necessary in each indivi dual negotiating area.  Eliminating remaining non-
agricultural tariffs would hugely increase market access opportunities for products of export interest
to developing countries, a key aspect of the Doha mandate.  From its own export perspective,New Zealand has a strong interest in additional market access; in particular, resource based industries
not covered by agricultural negotiations.
24. New Zealand is also committed to developing mechanisms to address non-tariff barriers as
part of the negotiation on non-agricultural market access, and has played a constructive role in this
part of the negotiation.
25. Services access is another area to which New Zealand has given priority.  Services exports
provide one quarter of New Zealand's total export earnings, and as an export sector is growing even
faster than the goods sector.  Increased predictability and stability of access for service exporters
stands both to benefit the exporters and to increase choice for consumers.
Rules
26. New Zealand strongly supports the WTO rules framework, and its balance of rights and
obligations.  New Zealand favours developing and improving current WTO rules that discipline anti-
competitive behaviour; particularly subsidies that induce trade distorting behaviour.  New Zealand
also recognises that members have different economic and regulatory policy settings, and supports
rules that are sufficiently flexible to be tailored to the individual regulatory requirements of developedand developing economies alike.
27. To this end, New Zealand supports negotiations on clarifying and improving WTO anti-
dumping and subsidy disciplines in the present round.  We have a particular interest in disciplines onNew Zealand WT/TPR/G/115
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subsidy practices in resource-based industries, such as agriculture, fisheries and energy, where
subsidies not only distort trade and undermine development, but also provide incentives to over-
produce and to degrade the environment. New Zealand has tabled two papers in the negotiations on
fish subsidies and will be making a proposal in due course.  We also support the development of a
simple, voluntary, low cost system of notification and registration of geographical indications for
wines and spirits and have co-sponsored two papers on such a multilateral system.
28. As trade in agricultural products is a significant contributor to New Zealand’s economy, our
interest in clear and effective rules extends to measures to protect human, plant, and animal health and
life.  New Zealand strongly supports the need for such measures to be firmly based on scientific risk
assessment and be least trade-restrictive as possible.  New Zealand recognises that this approach is
resource-intensive, and accordingly contributes to capacity building in developing countries.
Dispute settlement
29. Since its last review, New Zealand has initiated and participated in a number of WTO
disputes, both as a complainant and a third party.  New Zealand continues to consider the WTO
Dispute Settlement Understanding as one of the key achievements of the Uruguay Round.  As a user
of the dispute settlement system, New Zealand sees the current review of the Dispute SettlementUnderstanding as an important opportunity to make practical improvements to the rules agreed to in
1995 in light of the experience of the last eight years.
Trade and Development
30. New Zealand strongly supports the centrality of development issues in the Doha Round.  In
line with the Doha Declaration, New Zealand supports developing country interests in areas such as
improved access to markets, special and differential treatment in the implementation of agreements,
support for capacity building, and negotiation arrangements which take account of developing countrypriorities, capacity constraints, vulnerabilities and other national conditions.
31. New Zealand strongly supports effective and efficient technical assistance with the WTO
focussing on areas where it has a comparative advant age such as in building negotiating capacity and
helping developing countries to understand the WTO rules and their implementation.
32. In July 2001 New Zealand removed tariffs on all imports for Least Developed Countries - the
49 poorest countries in the world.  Prior to the decision, New Zealand was already very close to duty-
free access for LDCs, with 97.4 per cent of their imports entering duty-free already.  While a few
other Members have adopted similar measures, New Zealand is the only country to have implemented
duty free access with no exceptions.  New Zealand also provides non-reciprocal duty free access to
the economies of the South Pacific under the South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Co-operation Agreement, and has reduced tariffs for all developing countries under the Generalised
System of Preferences.
33. New Zealand is determined to ensure that the world trade system has room for the poorest
people from the poorest countries.  New Zealand recognises that trade and improved market access
will not solve all the problems faced by developing countries, but believes that developed economies
must ensure that the benefits of globalisation are available for everyone.
34. New Zealand, through its development assistance programme, is addressing the challenges
and constraints that prevent developing countries from properly harnessing trade for development.
Such support includes providing funding and expertise in order to address supply side constraints such
as inadequate negotiating capacity or representation,  trade promotion support, finance, marketWT/TPR/G/115 Trade Policy Review
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information and trading skills both at the government and private sector level (companies, exporters,
co-operatives, farmers).
Labour and Environmental Standards
35. New Zealand recognises that economic and trade partnership agreements are not ends in
themselves.  They support the goal of improving living standards in the countries whose Governments
have negotiated them.  New Zealand believes the maintenance and promotion of appropriate  labour
and environment standards is fully compatible with, and indeed contributes to, sustainable economic
development.  New Zealand’s objective is that trade policy, labour policy and environmental policy
should, where possible, be mutually supportive.  Acco rdingly, the objective is designed to integrate
labour and environment standards issues more effectively with trade agreements.  New Zealand is also
committed to the negotiation and utilisation of international standards that create sustainable growth.New Zealand’s approach to the labour aspects of trade negotiations  is based on the principles and
rights set out in the International Labour Organi sation (ILO) Declaration of Fundamental Principles
and Rights at Work.
36. New Zealand is conscious that given the importance of trade to development, it is vital that
environment standards and labour standards are not misused for protectionist reasons.  Genuineenvironment objectives are not served by discriminating between products on the basis of their
respective national origins. The Government also reco gnises that agreements need to be negotiated in
a way that makes them acceptable to developing countries.  Developing countries should not be
denied the benefits of the legitimate comparative advantage of lower labour costs but this advantage
should not be secured by deliberately neglecting fundamental labour principles.
Bilateral and Regional Initiatives
37. The New Zealand Government looks to work closely with individual trading partners to solve
problems and seek more open trade and investment relationships.  In this regard it recognises that free
trade agreements with key trading partners can open up important new opportunities for exporters and
in a shorter time frame than the multilateral process.
38. New Zealand sees Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) as an opportunity not only to remove tariff
barriers on a bilateral basis, but also to deepen economic integration with its trading partners acrossthe wider trade and investment relationship.  This is based on a recognition that trade flows are
affected as much by internal regulatory and administrative barriers as by tariffs, quotas and other
external barriers to trade.   Accordingly, New Zealand prefers to describe its preferential trade
agreements as Closer Economic Partnerships (CEPs).
39. New Zealand also recognises that, provided they genuinely liberalise trade between countries,
FTAs can make an important strategic contribution to moving the WTO process forward.  Good
quality FTAs should be comprehensive, with few or no exclusions, be consistent with WTO
provisions, and ideally open to other economies to join.  New Zealand is, however, concerned at the
proliferation of second best FTAs that the WTO through the Committee on Regional Trade
Agreements does not seem to be capable of scrutinising effectively.  These should not be a way toavoid difficult decisions, for example in sensitive areas such as agriculture.  Sub-standard FTAs
threaten multilateral liberalisation, by offering an ‘easy’ option to countries that are reluctant to make
the difficult decisions necessary to liberalise sensitive sectors.New Zealand WT/TPR/G/115
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Australia/New Zealand Closer Economic Relationship
40. Australia and New Zealand have one of the most open economic and trade relationships
between any two countries.  This is based on a comprehensive set of trade and economic
arrangements, collectively known as CER (Closer Economic Relations), which underpins substantial
flows of merchandise trade, services, investment , labour and visitors between the two countries.
41. Since 1996, our CER relationship has both deepened and broadened with both countries
moving progressively towards much closer integration of policies, laws and regulatory regimes
through processes of coordination, mutual recognition and harmonisation.
42. The Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA) is the best example of this
progression.   Entering into effect in 1998, the TTMRA deals with mutual recognition of goods and
occupations.  Thanks to the TTMRA, most goods that can be legally sold in New Zealand can now belegally sold in Australia without having to meet different Australian standards, and vice versa.
Similarly, professional registration in one country is recognised in the other, allowing most
occupations to be practised in either country wit hout the need to comply with separate regulations.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand is a further example of where the two countries have
combined to save costs to the taxpayer by removing separate regulation and to manufacturers throughharmonisation.
43. New Zealand and Australia have also been working to reduce impediments to trade for
businesses by working towards the co-ordination of business laws between the two countries.  A
Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Australia in 2000 to cover these initiatives.  The
current priorities for Australia and New Zealand are the potential for mutual recognition agreements
in relation to securities offerings, insolvency proceedings and company registrations.  Work has also
commenced on the potential for extended cooperation between Australia and New Zealand in relationto international accounting standards.  Both governme nts also recognise the benefits of improving the
ease of capital flows between Australia and New Zealand in areas such as tax.  On 19 February this
year, New Zealand and Australia announced the introduction of imputation reform, which should
resolve the problem of Triangular Taxation and result in significant savings for New Zealand and
Australian traders and investors.
44. Progress on Air Services has also been made, with the signature of the ‘Open Skies’ Air
Services Agreement in August 2002.  This Agreement incorporates the 1996 Australia New Zealand
Single Aviation Market Arrangements, and formalised the arrangements that were brought into
interim effect by the 2000 Open Skies Memorandum of Understanding.  The Agreement almost
completely liberalises air services between New Zealand and Australia. .
45. New Zealand and Australia are also involved in a Closer Economic Partnership dialogue with
the ASEAN nations and are hopeful that in time this wi ll prove a useful stepping-stone to further trade
liberalisation between ASEAN and the New Zealand and Australian economies.
Agreement between New Zealand and Singapore on a Closer Economic Partnership
46. On 1 January 2001, the Agreement between New Zealand and Singapore on a Closer
Economic Partnership (ANZSCEP) entered into force.  This was Singapore’s first bilateral free trade
agreement, and New Zealand’s second after ANZCE RTA.  ANZSCEP was conceived with the aim of
enhancing the already excellent bilateral relationship between the two countries, serving the dual
purpose of promoting economic growth for the parties, while also promoting greater international
trade liberalisation.WT/TPR/G/115 Trade Policy Review
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47. The agreement is comprehensive and of high quality, covering trade in both goods and
services, and is in conformity with GATT Article XXIV:8(b) and GATS Article V.  No sectors are a
priori excluded, and the agreement removed all tariffs on goods from the date of entry into force.
While it is too early to make any definitive judgements on the effects of the Singapore CEP, it is clear
that the Agreement has been helpful in raising New Zealand’s profile in Singapore
Other CEP/FTA initiatives48. In April 2001, New Zealand announced its intention to negotiate a Closer Economic
Partnership Agreement with Hong Kong, China Special Administrative Region.  To date 5 rounds of
negotiations have taken place.  Good progress has been made, and agreement has been reached on
most areas, although there remain some outstanding issues relating to rules of origin and services.
New Zealand remains committed to bringing the negotiations to a successful conclusion.
49. In October 2002, the leaders of New Zealand, Chile and Singapore announced the
commencement of a Pacific 3 negotiation for a free trade arrangement linking the three countries.
Like New Zealand’s CER agreement with Australia and CEP agreement with Singapore, it is
envisaged that the proposed P3 agreement will be comprehensive and forward looking with provisions
designed to set high quality benchmarks on trade rules, that would help to promote trade liberalisationwithin the APEC region, while also increasing trad e in goods and services and investment among the
three countries.  It will also be New Zealand’s first preferential trade agreement with a Latin
American country.  Substantive negotiations are due to commence early in the second half of 2003.
50. In October 2002, New Zealand and Mexico agreed to the commencement of a study to
examine the economic impacts of any bilateral FTA.
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC)
51. Since New Zealand’s last review in 1996, it has continued to use its participation in APEC to
promote trade liberalisation and to give impetus to the Doha Development Agenda, especially in the
lead up to the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the WTO to be held in Cancun, Mexico 2003.
New Zealand has also emphasised the importance of achieving and maintaining an appropriate
balance among the different elements of the APEC agenda. To this end, New Zealand took the lead in
preparing a paper, which provided the basis for reviewing the role and mandate of the SOMCommittee on Ecotech (economic and technical cooperation) throughout 2002.
52. New Zealand has been active in the area of trade facilitation. It is committed to the target of
5% reduction in transaction costs by 2006. New Zealand is participating in a number of trade
facilitation activities under the “pathfinder” concept.  New Zealand is taking the lead (with Australia)
on Sanitary and Phytosanitary e-certification and on the implementation of the revised KyotoConvention in the Customs area.  New Zealand also provides capacity building for trade facilitation.
Standards New Zealand this year is providing special support to the Chair of the Sub-committee on
Standards and Conformance.
53. New Zealand, along with the US, Singapore, Brunei and Chile (and recently acceded
members Peru and Samoa) has also signed the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalisation ofInternational Air Transportation.  This APEC led initiativ e is significant.  It is the first liberalising air
services agreement that enables other states to join without the need for separate negotiations with all
parties.
54. New Zealand has been active in moves to help all member economies achieve the 1994
“Bogor goals” in which APEC leaders committed their economies to free and open trade andNew Zealand WT/TPR/G/115
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investment in the Asia Pacific region by 2020, for developing economies, and 2010 for developed
economies.  New Zealand is committed to the newly strengthened peer review process as a key
mechanism for monitoring and encouraging move ment towards the Bogor goals. New Zealand
welcomes the opportunity to display its commitment when New Zealand’s own peer review is due to
take place at SOM III, in August 2003.  New Zealand has made considerable progress towards the
Bogor goals through autonomous liberalisation, and is willing to liberalise further on a reciprocalbasis.
Trade Policy Outreach
55. New Zealand is committed to working closely with all interested New Zealanders in raising
their awareness of trade policy issues and also th e quality and extent of their input into trade and
external economic policy formulation.  New Zealand aims to facilitate improved policy outcomes byensuring consistent and balanced input from diverse domestic interests and by enhancing public
understanding of, and support for, policy objectives.
56. Open and transparent interaction with interested New Zealanders is achieved through
consultation by industry visits, generic and targeted outreach through seminars, and attending forums
of relevant interest groups.  New Zealand is also committed to raising the level of trade policy issuesacross the wider public sector.  It also commits resources towards publishing initiatives to increase
awareness of trade issues and to assist in relevant policy liaison.
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