Conclusion of Malaysian FTA negotiations welcomed

Export NZ is welcoming greater trade access to Malaysia following the conclusion of the Malaysia - New Zealand free trade agreement negotiations.

An official conclusion for the FTA was reached in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, and the final agreement is expected to be signed later this year.

Export NZ chief executive Phil O’Reilly says all the indications point to a comprehensive and high quality deal, and will add to New Zealand’s expanding web of trade relationships in the Asia- Pacific region.

“The deal means NZ exporters can access bigger markets, allowing them to increase the scale of their production. It will also see more knowledge and technology transferred between our countries.”

Mr O’Reilly says it’s a welcome outcome and reaffirms New Zealand’s commitment to trade liberalisation. To have real impact however, trade liberalisation needs a number of other conditions to be met, such as good infrastructures and a skilled labour force.

Export NZ, now a division of Business NZ, is looking forward to working with the Minister of Trade and his team to exploit the opportunities this presents as soon as possible.