Chamber Welcomes Funding for Trade Agreement Negotiations

“$31.1 million over the next four years is good news” says Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Charles Finny. “This is a critical area for New Zealand’s economic future, and Trade Minister Jim Sutton deserves to be commended for his advocacy which has been instrumental in securing this funding in the Budget process.”

“The Chamber welcomes the fact that a good balance is being made in this expenditure between staffing, negotiation costs and work to ensure that full advantage is being taken by business of the opportunities afforded by the negotiations currently on the Government’s negotiating agenda”.

The Chamber supports the negotiation of high quality agreements covering goods, services and investment with key trading partners such as China, Malaysia, the rest of ASEAN and Chile. We are also delighted to see that the Government is giving highest priority to negotiation of a successful conclusion to the WTO Doha Round.

“It is absolutely essential that the Government continue to give priority to the Doha Negotiations, and that our negotiating team, particularly that based at the New Zealand Mission in Geneva is appropriately resourced”, Charles Finny said.

ENDS

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