TRADE LIBERALISATION: a New Zealand priority

Global trade liberalisation is of vital importance to New Zealand. We have accordingly taken a forward role in international negotiations that have already achieved much in the way of establishing multilateral trade rules. Although the Doha Round — the ninth such set of negotiations — faltered at Cancun in 2003, momentum was restored at Geneva in July this year. The agreement to a frameworks package is a major step forward, but it is not the end of the road. Modalities — the numbers — have still be negotiated. Alongside the multilateral focus, New Zealand is keen to promote closer bilateral economic partnerships and free trade agreements, and encouraging progress is being made in a number of directions.