Hon Tim Groser
Minister of Trade

17 March 2011

Media Statement

Visit by EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht

Trade Minister Tim Groser today announced the visit to New Zealand of the European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht.

“I am very much looking forward to welcoming Mr De Gucht to New Zealand. As a single market of 27 member countries the European Union is our second largest trading partner and we enjoy longstanding cooperation in many areas of common trade interest. New Zealand remains committed to the further strengthening of ties with our EU partners.

The Commissioner will have the opportunity to exchange views with the Government and with New Zealand business leaders while visiting Auckland on Saturday,” said Mr Groser.

Commissioner De Gucht will be attending Friday’s memorial service for victims of the Christchurch Earthquake as representative of the European Union,” said Mr Groser.

“I will of course be letting the EU know that New Zealand is open for business. Even in Christchurch, many businesses were quickly up and running after the earthquake, or shifted to new premises to resume work.”

ENDS

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Arguably Reassuring: Inspector-General Finds GCSB "Arguably" Legal

Of the 88 individuals:

• 15 cases involving 22 individuals did not have any information intercepted by GCSB.

• another four cases involving five individuals were the subjects of a New Zealand Security Intelligence Service warrant and the GCSB assisted in the execution of the warrants. The Inspector-General is of the view that there were arguably no breaches and the law is unclear.

• the Bureau only provided technical assistance which did not involve interception of communications, involving three of the individuals, so no breach occurred.

• the remaining cases involved the collection of metadata, and the Inspector-General formed the view that there had arguably been no breach, noting once again that the law is unclear.
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