Competition, Trade and Investment branch

I'm Gaye Serancke, Deputy Secretary of the Competition, Trade and Investment branch at the Ministry of Economic Development.

The role of our branch is to ensure that effective policy and regulatory frameworks are in place to:

• Promote business efficiency, competition, international linkages, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.
• Lower compliance costs, and
• Improve business confidence.

Our teams

Competition Policy

We are responsible for providing advice to ensure that: New Zealand has high quality competition law; New Zealand has efficient, capable and effective competition institutions (the Commerce Commission and courts); government policies enhance competition/remove barriers to competition; influence the international trade agenda through advice on competition policy chapters and other international trade issues.

Corporate Law and Governance

We provide advice on corporate governance legislation such as the Companies Act; insolvency; financial reporting; takeovers and personal properties securities. We are responsible for occupational regulation of Financial Advisers, Auditors and Insolvency Practitioners. We provide purchase advice in relation to the Takeovers Panel and External Reporting Board.

Intellectual Property Policy

We are responsible for maintaining a framework which encourages innovation, creativity and the development of distinctive brands; encourages investment in research and development and creative activity; reduces compliance and transaction costs; and clearly defines rights and provides a system which will make New Zealand businesses more competitive.

Investment Law

We provide advice on law and regulation within the financial sector to support economic growth. Our work links primarily to supporting trusted and dynamic markets and ease of doing business.

Trade Environment

We are responsible for developing and maintaining international mechanisms for industry and regulators to support and grow New Zealand's trade. We are responsible for the Ministry’s contribution to Free Trade Agreements and International Agreements and Policy advice on the Government's standards and conformity infrastructure and related regulatory issues. We monitor the Standards Council, Testing Laboratory Council and the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand.
 

Trade Rules, Remedies and Tariffs

We provide advice on New Zealand’s tariff regime and other tariff and border issues, including policy advice on New Zealand’s trade remedies regime relating to dumping, subsidy and safeguard issues. We administer New Zealand’s trade remedies regime and tariff concessions system.