International issues

We advise the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the World Trade Organisation Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement, and on other trade agreements that have a standards and conformance dimension.

ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality

We attend the Consultative Committee's meetings and have also carried out capacity building projects for it.

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

We represent New Zealand's standards and conformance interests in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum on its Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance.

World Trade Organization (WTO)

Our expertise on technical barriers to trade principles and mechanisms to address trade barriers informs New Zealand’s participation in the WTO.

We participate in regular committee discussions on market access issues relating to technical barriers to trade. We disseminate best practice through sharing the experiences of WTO members.

We are particularly active in committee projects with a longer term focus, such as developing guidelines to choose and design trade facilitation mechanisms.

We also provide advice on trade disputes between WTO members including the interpretation of obligations set out in the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement and how they have been fulfilled.

The WTO Doha Round includes non-agricultural market access negotiations on non-tariff barriers. Several members proposed extending obligations in the current Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement. We are participating to develop New Zealand positions.

Related information

Our work on trade agreements and partnerships

World Trade Organization

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