Call for Public Submissions on Services and Government Procurement in the context of the Thailand - New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership Agreement

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is inviting submissions on possible negotiations on services and government procurement under the Thailand - New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership Agreement.

Background

The Thailand New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEP) came into force on 1 July 2005. The CEP primarily covers trade in goods. No substantive commitments were made on services or government procurement at the time but agreement was reached to enter into negotiations at a later stage. No date has been set for the start of those negotiations.

Separately, the Agreement establishing the ASEAN – Australia – New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) was signed earlier this year and is expected to come into force by early 2010. Thailand is a member of ASEAN and has made specific services commitments under AANZFTA. There are no government procurement commitments in AANZFTA.

An abbreviated study into the New Zealand-Thailand services sector was completed by NZIER in 2004 as a prelude to CEP negotiations. This needs to be updated to take into account Thailand’s commitments under AANZFTA; to provide a read-out on the level of business interest in obtaining further services commitments from the Thais; and to identify any current barriers to trade in services.

We would also like to better understand the views and interests of New Zealand businesses with respect to Thailand’s government procurement and services markets.

Investors, exporters and importers of services, suppliers to government, non-government organisations and individuals are invited to make submissions, in particular those that are encountering barriers in these areas. These submissions will help shape New Zealand’s negotiating mandate for possible negotiations.

In a submission, you may wish to cover:

• the primary areas of interest for your company in terms of goods or services produced;
• outcomes that you would like to see from the negotiations;
• potential benefits and risks to New Zealand of such negotiations;
• specific issues or obstacles to trade you would like to see addressed;
• your ranking of access to the Thai market in terms of priority against the markets of Korea, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Japan, and India; and against the markets of Parties to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement
  which Thai government agencies are you doing/would you like to do business with; and
• any other specific information you can provide that would help to develop New Zealand’s negotiating position.

We note that the public consultation process is an ongoing one that will provide further opportunities for input and comment.

How to make a submission

Submissions can be sent either:

• By email to:     steve.mccombie@mfat.govt.nz
  
  
• By post to:      Thailand CEP Submissions
                       Asia Division
                       Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
                       Private Bag 18901
                       Wellington

Please direct any further questions you have about potential CEP negotiations with Thailand, or the submissions process to Steve McCombie by e-mail as above or telephone (04) 439 8886.

Asia Division,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
August 2009