Trade and Labour Framework – invitation to submit your views
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment are developing a new Trade and Labour Framework to guide New Zealand’s trade negotiations.
The development of a new Framework responds to a direction from Cabinet following a recommendation from the Trade For All Advisory Board that the existing 2001 Framework be replaced.
The Discussion Paper [PDF, 653 KB] below sets out the background together with some discussion questions. We welcome your views and ideas on these.
Please email your submission to: TradeforAll@mfat.govt.nz
Submissions closed on 31 October 2022.
Please note that comments may be published in full or in part by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Names and email addresses will not be made public.
How to engage
We are keen to respond to New Zealanders' concerns and interests around trade agreements. You can contact us about any trade agreement at any time.
Email: FTA_Outreach@mfat.govt.nz
The following are currently under active negotiation:
Public meetings
We also organise public meetings where New Zealanders can meet us in person and discuss our trade agreements. A large portion of each meeting is set aside for Q&A and views expressed are reported to Ministers for their consideration.
These meetings are advertised through email, our website, and facebook and twitter accounts. If you are interested in attending future events and would like to be added to the mailing list, let us know at FTA_Outreach@mfat.govt.nz.
Previous meetings and public engagement requests
From April to May 2019, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was developing a new Trade, Environment and Climate Change Framework to guide New Zealand’s trade negotiations. The development of a new Framework was in response to a direction from Cabinet following a recommendation from the Trade For All Advisory Board that the existing 2001 Framework be replaced. A Discussion Paper (see below) was created to set out the proposed new Framework, together with some discussion questions. The ability to submit opinions ended on Friday 21 May 2021.
From June to November 2019, public meetings were held in Nelson, Napier, Wellington, Invercargill, Gisborne, Whangarei, Auckland, Christchurch, New Plymouth, Dunedin, Blenheim, Rotorua, Cromwell, Tauranga and Hamilton to discuss the European Union-New Zealand free trade agreement and other current and upcoming trade negotiations.
Between September and November 2018, public meetings were held in the following locations to discuss the European Union-New Zealand free trade agreement and other current and upcoming trade negotiations: Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, Hamilton, Nelson, Napier, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Invercargill, Rotorua and Whangarei.
Face-to-face consultation on Trade for All took place during August and September 2018. Fifteen public events, and 11 hui focused at a Māori audience, were held in the following locations: Wellington, Timaru, Invercargill, Whakatane, Rotorua, Gisborne, Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, Hamilton, Nelson, Napier, Hastings, Whangarei, Tauranga, New Plymouth and Palmerston North.
During June and July 2018 outreach sessions were held in Hamilton, Auckland and Christchurch to discuss the Pacific Alliance negotiations and other FTAs in New Zealand's negotiating agenda.
Between December 2017 and May 2018, public meetings were held in the following locations to discuss the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and other current and upcoming trade negotiations: Dunedin, Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, New Plymouth, Nelson, Napier, Whangarei, Palmerston North, Invercargill, Timaru, Rotorua and Gisborne.
Read more:
- September 2019 public outreach presentation slideshow [PPTX, 14 MB] and Wellington event video link(external link) [1hr 6 mins]
- May 2018 public outreach presentation slideshow [PPTX, 6.4 MB]
- February 2018 public outreach on CPTPP - Wellington event video link(external link) [1hr 45mins]
- Free trade agreements
- Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
- Trade and Environment Discussion paper [PDF, 4.5 MB]