McClay to attend OECD meeting
Hon Todd McClay
Minister of Trade
28 May 2016
McClay to attend OECD meeting, advance EU-NZ FTA and
discuss WTO Doha round
Trade Minister Todd McClay leaves
for Europe today to attend the annual Ministerial Council
Meeting of the Paris-based Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development.
“This is a valuable opportunity to discuss how we can strengthen the contribution of trade and investment to lifting productivity and reducing inequality”, says Mr McClay.
“The OECD’s evidence-based research and policy recommendations provide an excellent basis for taking this discussion forward.”
Mr McClay will also participate in discussions around the future role of the WTO and expects to promote the need for greater consideration of e-commerce and services and the negative effect domestic support has on agriculture trade as part of the WTO's Doha Development Round.
While in Europe Mr McClay will visit counterparts in Italy, Greece, France, Austria and Slovakia to support the launch of negotiations for a free trade agreement between New Zealand and the EU.
“The European Union is an important partner for New Zealand, and an EU-NZ FTA will grow our trade and investment relationship to complement the strong political and development relationship that we already enjoy.”
On 29 October 2015, Prime Minister John Key, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and European Council President Donald Tusk agreed to start discussions on a comprehensive EU-NZ FTA.
ends