The FTA will increase New Zealand’s exports to the EU by up to NZ$1.8 billion per year by 2035…reports Asian Lite News
New Zealand and the European Union (EU) have signed a ground-breaking Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that will provide “significant new trade access” to the country’s fourth-largest trading partner, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday.
The FTA will increase New Zealand’s exports to the EU by up to NZ$1.8 billion per year by 2035, Xinhua news agency quoted Hipkins as saying.
Tariff savings on New Zealand exports are NZ$100 million from day one of the agreement entering into force, the highest immediate tariff saving delivered by any New Zealand FTA, he said, adding that is around three times the immediate savings from the FTA between New Zealand and Britain.
This will add billions every year to New Zealand’s GDP, the Prime Minister noted.
Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor said the NZ-EU FTA will cut costs and support exporters to grow and diversify their trade.
It will provide new opportunities for New Zealand exporters of products such as kiwifruit, seafood, onions, honey, wine, butter, cheese, beef and sheep meat, O’Connor said, adding this new access will help to accelerate New Zealand’s post-Covid and post-Cyclone Gabrielle recovery.
Based on current trade figures, New Zealand will have the opportunity through combined FTA and World Trade Organization quotas to provide up to 60 per cent of the EU’s butter imports, up from 14 per cent currently, the Minister said.
New Zealand cheeses could also make up 15 per cent of the EU’s imported cheeses, up from 0.5 per cent currently, he said.
The NZ-EU FTA includes ambitious sustainable trade outcomes in a range of areas, including climate change, labour rights, women’s economic empowerment, environmentally harmful fisheries and fossil fuel subsidies, O’Connor said.
It is anticipated that the NZ-EU FTA will enter into force in the first half of 2024, once both parties complete the final required legal steps.
More than two-thirds of the Afghan population now requiring assistance, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said…reports Asian Lite News
The New Zealand government on Thursday announced another round of support to Afghanistan, providing a further NZ$11 million ($6 million) in funding to support the UN’s response to the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.
More than two-thirds of the Afghan population now requiring assistance, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said.
Vulnerable communities in Afghanistan are experiencing record levels of food insecurity and are in desperate need of health services, clean water, and education, Xinhua news agency quoted Mahuta as saying.
The funding will support UN agencies to provide essential assistance to the Afghan people, taking New Zealand’s support for Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August 2021 to NZ$24 million, the Minister said.
New Zealand will also sign the Horizon Europe Association Agreement…reports Asian Lite News
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins will travel to Brussels on Friday to witness the signing of an Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU).
The FTA will deliver immediate tariff savings on New Zealand exports to the EU of about NZ$100 million ($61 million) a year when it enters into force, Hipkins said on Tuesday.
Modelling suggests exports to the EU will increase by up to NZ$1.8 billion per annum and add up to NZ$1.4 billion to New Zealand’s GDP per year once fully implemented.
“This is an important milestone towards entry into force of this high-quality and historic free trade agreement,” Hipkins said.
New Zealand will also sign the Horizon Europe Association Agreement.
Horizon Europe is the EU’s main research and innovation framework and funding platform, Hipkins said, adding that it is also the largest multilateral research program in the world.
Associating with Horizon Europe will provide new opportunities for New Zealand scientists to collaborate with European partners on research to address major global challenges such as climate change, energy and health, he said.
This round of the national ban targets single-use and hard-to-recycle items, which was expected to stop 150 million produce bags from ending up in landfills each year…reports Asian Lite News
New Zealand’s major supermarkets have been preparing for the second phase of the national plastics ban starting from Saturday, which will see the phase-out of more single-use plastics.
The second round will ban plastic produce bags and stickers, plates, bowls, cutlery, and straws, the Ministry for Environment said on Friday.
Those plastics will be taken off the shelves from Saturday, with businesses to be possibly fined up to NZ$100,000 ($60,853) if they do not comply.
This round of the national ban targets single-use and hard-to-recycle items, which was expected to stop 150 million produce bags from ending up in landfills each year, according to the Ministry for Environment.
Last October, single-use plastic cotton buds, drink stirrers and most plastic meat trays were banned from sale or manufacture in the first phase-out.
“Stopping the sale of these plastic products will reduce waste to landfill, improve our recycling systems and encourage reusable or environmentally responsible alternatives,” Environment Minister David Parker said last September.
On average, every year each New Zealander sends about 750 kg of waste to landfill. Some products can’t be recycled and are unnecessary, Parker said.
Other PVC and polystyrene food and beverage packaging will be banned from mid-2025, according to the three-year phase-out plan.
The government’s immigration re-balance has lifted pay requirements for migrant workers to ensure they are treated fairly, and requires advertising for New Zealand workers before a migrant worker is sought, he said…reports Asian Lite News
New Zealand witnessed a net migration gain of 72,300 in the year ending in April, marking six months of continued growth, the statistics department said on Tuesday.
There was a net gain of 98,400 non-New Zealand citizens in the cited period, Xinhua news agency quoted Stats NZ as saying.
The continued growth in net migration shows the government’s immigration rebalance is working as it tackles labour shortages, Immigration Minister Michael Wood said.
“We know many industries have been calling out for workers as the global labour shortage bites, and we want our immigration settings to be responsive to that, while still helping to deliver a more productive, high wage economy,” Wood said.
The government’s immigration rebalance has lifted pay requirements for migrant workers to ensure they are treated fairly, and requires advertising for New Zealand workers before a migrant worker is sought, he said.
“Ultimately we want to train as many New Zealanders to fill labour shortages as possible, but in the short term it has been necessary to rely more on migrant workers than we otherwise would to plug workforce gaps,” said the Minister.
This is a positive sign that New Zealand is getting the workers that its economy needs to thrive and grow, Wood said.
Both sides were unanimous on the need for having more government-to-industry dialogues for concrete mutual benefits….reports Asian Lite News
India and New Zealand had their first Round Table Joint Meeting with industry organisations from both nations on Thursday in New Delhi.
The meeting was co-chaired by the additional secretary, Department of Commerce, Government of India, Rajesh Agarwal and the High Commissioner of New Zealand in India, David Pine, the official release of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said. Looking at the current level of bilateral commerce between the two nations, both sides recognised the enormous potential in the India-New Zealand alliance and the need for further economic cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
It was a common understanding that there is a need to work beyond any free trade agreement and explore other areas where both can complement each other. The discussions also focused on taking forward the objectives of the Joint Trade Committee (JTC), formed under the Bilateral Trade Agreement of 1986, the official statement said.
In a brief statement, the New Zealand High Commissioner emphasized the importance of joint efforts while keeping in mind the principles of mutual benefit, proportionality, enabling trade, and collaboration with private sectors.
Some of the areas explored by him included the promotion of a Unified Payment Interface (UPI) system, carbon credit cooperation, economic cooperation through sectoral arrangements and working together on specific issues like the comprehensive proposal made by Zespri and prioritization of requests on non-tariff measures for bilateral gains to the businesses of both the sides.
The High Commissioner also informed that India New Zealand Business Council has brought out a report in April 2023 on “India New Zealand -Relationship ready for next phase”, reflecting feasible areas of cooperative activities for economic prosperity. He also emphasized increasing the air connectivity links between the two countries.
According to the official statement, Rajesh Agarwal mentioned strengthening the existing institutional mechanism for improving bilateral trade and emphasized on creation of a structure for working on cooperation and collaboration issues. This could include establishing a working group at the Joint Secretary level to work on specific identified issues and once the ideas and the corresponding co-operative activities are concretized, the same can be scaled up and finalized during the Joint Trade Committee meeting.
He stated that it would require a concerted effort from both sides and should take into account deliberations at G2G, B2B and G2B interactions.
Rajesh Agarwal emphasized the need for a proactive operational framework for mutual benefit by creating working groups which would feed to the Joint Trade Committee with concrete ideas and the solution thereof.
The Indian industry representative from services sectors like IT and ITeS, logistics and banking sector as well as manufacturing sectors namely food processing, pharmaceuticals, automobile, construction and power made useful interventions on the bilateral issues and the huge potential and ample opportunities available between both the economies which need to be nurtured through such interactions and actions thereof, the official press release stated.
The industry and industry associations from the New Zealand side, while calling it a significant moment in the economic relationship between the two countries, emphasized the need to speed up the activities and continue the dialogue in a more structured way like the present one.
Both sides were unanimous on the need for having more government-to-industry dialogues for concrete mutual benefits. (ANI)
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and the UK's Rishi Sunak.(Pic credit:Instagram)
Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor said the wine industry is New Zealand’s biggest export to Britain and will see at least NZ$25 million in tariffs disappear overnight…reports Asian Lite News
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Wednesday announced that Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between his country and the UK has come into force.
In a statement, Hipkins said that the benefits which will begin flowing from the FTA will provide a further big boost to New Zealand’s economy and will bring an up to NZ$1 billion ($600 million) increase to the country’s annual GDP.
“The economy is through the worst, with inflation having peaked and returning to the target range next year, good growth, and more workers coming in to help with skill shortages,” Hipkins said.
The #NewZealand-Britain Free Trade Agreement has entered into force from Wednesday to provide a further boost to New Zealand's economy, its prime minister said in a statement.https://t.co/Tw3zqpWXez
New Zealand businesses will immediately save around NZ$37 million from Wednesday, with the instant elimination of tariffs and new duty-free quotas covering 99.5 percent of current exports, he said.
Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor said the wine industry is New Zealand’s biggest export to Britain and will see at least NZ$25 million in tariffs disappear overnight.
Honey producers will no longer face a 16-per cent duty, and the dairy and red meat sectors will transition to duty- and quota-free access for the first time in 50 years.
The proportion of New Zealand export goods covered by an FTA has expanded from 52.5 per cent to 73.5 per cent since 2017 and shows the importance of these agreements to growing exports, O’Connor said.
PM Mod demanded comprehensive update on the concrete action taken by these foreign governments against the Khalistani elements before the G20 summit takes place..writes T Brajesh
Days after voicing concern over growing anti-India activities by pro-Khalistan extremists on foreign soil, during talks with various world leaders including the Prime Ministers of the UK and Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to see strong, convincing and credible action by the foreign governments against these elements.
He is keen to see that governments in the UK, the United States, Canada and Australia have something “substantial, concrete and significant” to share with India in terms of action taken against the pro-Khalistan extremists.
PM Modi wants envoys and diplomats at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and top officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and also ministers to keep interacting with their counterparts in these countries as a follow-up exercise on the action taken against the Khalistani extremists, diplomatic sources told The Sunday Guardian.
“After all, the heads of these countries have promised PM Modi to take strong steps against the elements who were found involved in anti-India activities abroad,” sources added. “Ministers, diplomats and security officials have been asked to mount pressure on these foreign governments in this regard during different meetings in India and abroad,” sources aware of the meetings at South Block told The Sunday Guardian.
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval will also, in talks with his counterparts from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and other countries, step up pressure for action against pro-Khalistan elements, sources added. Only a fortnight ago, NSA Doval discussed the heightened pro-Khalistan activity in the UK with Tim Ballow, who was on his way to Kerala to attend a G20 Sherpa meeting. “By the time the world leaders assemble here for the G20 Summit in September this year, there must be a comprehensive update on the concrete action taken by these foreign governments against the Khalistani elements.” This is the clear message from PM Modi, sources said.
London, Mar 20 (ANI): Khalistani elements attempting to pull down the Indian flag but the flag was rescued by the Indian security personnel at the High Commission of India, in London on Sunday. (ANI Photo)
In a telephonic conversation with UK PM Rishi Sunak recently, PM Modi called for strong action against “anti-India elements”. Sources say PM Modi raised the issue of the security of Indian diplomatic establishments in the UK. “When PM Modi invited Sunak for the G20 summit soon after raising this issue during the conversation, the PM in fact indicated that India would want to hear something on the action part before the summit takes place,” said informed diplomatic sources.
Bali, Nov 15 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with his United Kingdom counterpart Rishi Sunak on the first day of the 17th G20 Summit, in Bali on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)
Sunak conveyed to the PM that the UK considered the attack on the Indian High Commission in London by Khalistani elements to be “totally unacceptable” and assured the security of the Indian mission and its personnel. “But the time for rhetoric is over, there must be tough action now,” officials said, referring to “the instructions that have come from the top government leadership” here.
PM Modi was equally serious about action against Khalistanis during talks with Australian PM Anthony Albanese. PM Modi raised the issue of vandalism of Hindu temples in Australia by Khalistani extremists. Sources said that Australia has already launched a massive crackdown against Khalistani sympathisers.
According to sources, the Australian high commission has briefed the Indian government that three Khalistani supporters have been detained in Melbourne by the police there, and more are being rounded up on the basis of inputs provided by those in custody. The government system in New Zealand is also reportedly taking action on similar lines.
During his meetings and talks with counterparts in the US, Canada, the UK, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has been flagging the issue of anti-India activities by pro-Khalistan elements. Recently, he spoke on this issue with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Indian missions in London, British Columbia and San Francisco were vandalised by pro-Khalistan extremists following the police action against radical preacher Amritpal Singh in Punjab.
San Francisco, Mar 23 (ANI): Protesters waving Khalistan flags gathered outside the Indian Consulate amid heightened security, in San Francisco on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)
During talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, two weeks ago, Jaishankar had put pressure on Ottawa seeking action against Khalistanis in Canada, terming the Khalistan issue as a national security concern for New Delhi.
The Canadian government is reported to have shared its action plan to be carried out against these elements in future. “However, India is waiting for reports on the actual action taken,” an official said.
In what is being viewed as part of the campaign to build pressure on foreign governments, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on 12 April called for action against Khalistani extremists for the attack on the Indian high commission in London. “Trade talks are underway but some credible action should be taken against the incident that happened in Britain,” said Goyal.
In another significant development that underlines the positive results of PM Modi’s diplomacy, a delegation of Sikh Americans told the visiting Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently that “the steps taken by PM Modi in the interest of the Sikh community, including their long-pending demands have resulted in the fizzling out of the separatist Khalistan movement”.
The delegation applauded the Modi government for being there for Sikhs and for implementing several demands for the Sikh community in the past nine years. It said that it is because of this, the Khalistan movement has fizzled out in the US. On this, diplomatic sources said, “The government here is waiting for a word from the Biden administration on the action taken in the US and on the over-all status.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is doing its part significantly in creating pressure on the UK and other countries to take action against the Khalistani extremists. MHA officials used the recently held India-UK Home Affairs Dialogue to discuss Khalistani activities in the UK and the protests and violent clashes at the Indian mission in London.
The dialogue, held in New Delhi, was led by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla. The UK delegation was led by the Permanent Secretary Home Office, Sir Matthew Rycroft. The Indian officials asked their UK counterparts to keep a close eye on Khalistani activities in their country and take action against the accused accordingly. Sources said that UK officials were told that Khalistani activists were plotting terror activities to be carried out in India.
In a strong message to Britain, the Indian side conveyed its concerns over the misuse of UK asylum status by pro-Khalistan elements to aid and abet terrorist activities in India. New Delhi also assured better cooperation with London to enhance the monitoring of UK-based pro-Khalistan extremists.
The arrangements are being made on a war footing to have Bumrah flown to Auckland at the earliest for the surgery…reports Asian Lite News
India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is likely to fly to New Zealand to undergo surgery for his back injury.
According to a Cricbuzz report, the medical team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the managers of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) have finalised a surgeon named Rowan Schouten, who had worked on England pacer Jofra Archer
The arrangements are being made on a war footing to have Bumrah, who has been out of action for the last five months, flown to Auckland at the earliest for the surgery.
Schouten, in the past, had worked with renowned orthopedic surgeon Grahame Inglis, who had operated upon a few New Zealand players, including Shane Bond — the bowling coach of Mumbai Indians, who is likely to have suggested Schouten’s name.
The report further said that Schouten had also assisted Inglis in the surgery of Australian pacer James Pattinson while he also handled Ben Dwarshuis and Jason Behrendorff’s surgery, who had also struggled with back issues.
The recovery time for Bumrah is somewhere between 20 and 24 weeks, which means he could miss the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 and the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) in London, should India qualify.
The right-arm quick last played for India in a T20I against Australia, on September 25 2022 and went to miss the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup due to his back injury.
The current priority of the BCCI management is to get Bumrah ready for the World Cup in October-November.
2nd Test: New Zealand beat England by just one run after follow-on in Wellington.(photo:ICC/Twitter)
Pacer Neil Wagner was the hero for the Kiwis as he had James Anderson caught behind down the leg side to clinch a famous victory for New Zealand…reports Asian Lite News
New Zealand scripted history in Wellington on Tuesday as they became the fourth team ever to win a Test match after being forced to follow on when they pulled off a thrilling one-run victory over England in a classic final-day contest in the second Test.
Pacer Neil Wagner (4/62) was the hero for the Kiwis as he had James Anderson caught behind down the leg side to clinch a famous victory for New Zealand at Basin Reserve. New Zealand were asked to follow on after being dismissed for just 209 in their first innings in reply to England’s 435/8 declared. Kane Williamson’s 26th Test century on the penultimate day of a topsy-turvy contest gave them some hope.
England had to chase down 258 for victory in the fourth innings and they looked to be in control when Joe Root (95) and Ben Stokes (33) were at the crease and less than 60 runs were required.
But Wagner and Tim Southee (3/45) dug deep during a tense finale to ensure New Zealand picked up a thrilling triumph to level the two-match series at one game apiece.
New Zealand join three other teams to have won a Test match after being forced to follow on, with the most recent prior to this clash coming back in 2001 when India clinched an unlikely win against Australia in Kolkata.
The Kiwis’ winning margin of one run is just the second time in the history of Test cricket that a match has been decided by that narrow margin, with the only other occurrence coming in 1993 when the West Indies pulled off a similar triumph over Australia in Adelaide.
“It’s a pretty special Test win. The character that we’ve shown in the last three days has been very impressive and I’m proud of the guys to be able to bounce back after a tough first couple of days. It was just a great Test match to be involved in, only four times in the history of the game, so it was a very pleasing Test to be part of,” Southee told reporters after the match.
The match was not part of the current World Test Championship period, with both New Zealand and England already out of contention for reaching June’s final.
The loss was just England’s second since Brendon McCullum took over as coach early last year, with their next five-day contest coming in a one-off Test against Ireland at the start of June.
England then embarks on a five-match series against arch-rival Australia as part of this year’s Ashes series on home soil.
New Zealand host Sri Lanka for a two-match series at home next month, with the Asian side still with an outside chance of reaching the World Test Championship final, should results fall their way. (ANI)
