The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) will meet in Auckland from 12 to 14 February to discuss key themes of sustainability, digitalisation and resilient, inclusive trade.
Trade Working Blog
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FROM APEC AND CPTPP TO IPEF – SMALL STEP OR GIANT LEAP?
The US idea of an Indo Pacific Framework (IPEF) continues to gain traction but is not without complication. Aotearoa-New Zealand is a great joiner - from the very beginning of the United Nations to the important economic institutions like the WTO, APEC, CPTPP and...

NZ/EU FTA – BLESSED BE THE CHEESEMAKERS
Will the NZ/EU FTA ever be finished, asks Stephen Jacobi. In the Monty Python film, “Life of Brian”, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is poorly heard by some of the crowd, but the message is passed on: “Blessed be the cheese makers”. Two thousand years later cheesemakers...

GUEST POST: “Imagine if… Building a new future for Indigenous trade”
Indigenous business leaders from the APEC region contributed to the first-ever ABAC Indigenous Dialogue in July 2021. Carrie Stoddart-Smith imagines the wealth and well being Indigenous peoples could bring to international trade, if the opportunity is seized....
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APEC 21 – BEATING COVID ONE ZOOM AT A TIME
The ABAC NZ TeamThe APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) is preparing to discuss its Annual...

Britain here we come!
We are excited about the Agreement in Principle (AiP) on a future free trade agreement with the...

QUEUING FOR CPTPP
Are latest announcements of intended memberships a shot in the arm for the Trans Pacific trade...

High Noon For The NZ/UK FTA
What are the prospects for a strong outcome from the NZ/UK FTA negotiation? We’ve said it before:...

Wanted! New FTA Partners
New research commissioned by the NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF) identifies options for...

GUEST POST: Acting Digitally for Regional Impact
Rachel Taulelei and Trade Minister Damien O’Connor Rachel Taulelei is CEO of Kono and Chair of...

No BAU at the WTO
The World Trade Organisation has unanimously selected Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as its new...

Trade in the worst of the worst times
“Out with the old, and in with the new”. The old saying seems to have particular relevance for...

RCEP Delivers New Rule Book for Asia Trade
It is said good things take time, and that is inevitably true of international free trade...
Submission to MFAT for CPTPP Review
NZIBF’s Submission to MFAT for CPTPP review
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The now widespread use of the term “Indo Pacific” to describe the region to which New Zealand belongs brings a risk of geographical confusion. Stephen Jacobi explores the term Indo Pacific for the TradeWorks blog.
Of Interest Podcast: Stephen Jacobi on the importance of NZ’s trade relationship with China, the risks to it, and opportunities to diversify to other countries
By Gareth Vaughan, featuring Stephen Jacobi, Executive Director of the New Zealand International Business Forum, for the latest episode of interest.co.nz's Of Interest Podcast. China is far and away New Zealand's key export market. But this comes with...
NZ Herald: Turbulence in global trade
Stephen Jacobi writes about turbulence in global trade, published by NZ Herald.
Address to World Affairs Forum, 22 August 2022
ADDRESS TO THE WORLD AFFAIRS FORUM AUCKLAND, 22 AUGUST 2022 STEPHEN JACOBI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NZ INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FORUM TURBULENCE IN GLOBAL TRADE Thanks to Greg Thwaite for inviting me to speak to you this evening. It’s good to be back in the habit of meeting...
Asia-Pacific Business Leaders to APEC Leaders: Speed up economic recovery and regain growth momentum
APEC NEWS RELEASE: Issued by The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Ha Long, 29 July 2022 – Asia-Pacific business leaders in the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), meeting this week in Ha Long, Viet Nam, expressed deep concern about the unprecedented crises...
TradeWindow: Digital trade provides hope through challenging times
It won’t come as a surprise to many people to hear that we remain in a very challenging situation when it comes to global business. Our exporters are operating in an environment that is difficult to navigate due to continuing uncertainties – the seemingly endless...
TRADE AND CLIMATE POLICIES NEED TO WORK TOGETHER – BUSINESS FORUM
A new report, commissioned by the NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF) and prepared by Adrian Macey, former Climate Change Ambassador and World Trade Organization (WTO) Lead Negotiator, shows that trade policy and actions to address climate change can be...
Trade and Climate Change: State of Play
TRADE AND CLIMATE CHANGE: STATE OF PLAY. A discussion paper prepared for the NZIBF by Adrian Macey, June 2022. Download here. Update: NZ-EU FTA The NZ-EU FTA has been finalised. Article X.6 of the trade and sustainable development chapter is on trade and...
THE NZ/EU FTA IS LIKE THE CURATE’S EGG
It’s fair enough to claim that this FTA was the best deal that could be obtained in the circumstances and that continuing negotiations might have led to a worse or even no outcome.