Timeline for negotiations
- 2007–2009: NZ-GCC FTA negotiated and substantially concluded, but not fully finalised nor signed due to GCC moratorium on FTAs to review trade policy and other political developments in the Gulf region. Since that time New Zealand has sought to finalise the FTA at various points, and recently the GCC have advised that they were ready to re-engage.
- New Zealand and GCC agree to reengage in discussions on the NZ-GCC FTA following a visit in March 2022 by New Zealand former Minister for Trade and Export Growth.
- Round 1: New Zealand and GCC negotiators held video conference meetings for the first round of (recommenced) negotiations on 22 March 2022. Negotiators were able to outline their negotiating positions based on the 2009 text, including areas where revisions are necessary. New Zealand sought adjustments on labour and environment provisions which weren’t part of the original negotiations; and the GCC sought to discuss market access outcomes.
- Round 2: New Zealand and GCC negotiations held video conference meetings for the second round of negotiations from 22–24 November 2022. Sessions were held on goods market access, labour and environment, and concluded with a Chief Negotiators wrap-up discussion. Both parties agreed to exchange detailed trade data to assist the negotiation, and the GCC undertook to provide a response to New Zealand’s advisory paper on labour and environment.
- Round 3: New Zealand and GCC negotiators held video conference meetings for the third round of negotiations over two sessions on 27 March and 4 April 2023. The GCC provided a response to New Zealand’s advisory paper on labour and environment which provided a useful basis for further engagement. New Zealand and the GCC continued to discuss requirements on goods market access.
- Round 4: New Zealand and GCC negotiators held a video conference meeting on 8 May 2023. The discussion was a useful opportunity to further discuss requirements on goods market access.
- Round 5: Another round of negotiations on the NZ-GCC FTA was held in Riyadh between 30 May-1 June 2023. This was the first in-person round since the re-commencement of negotiations. Technical working groups were held on both goods market access and labour and environment issues. Both parties engaged constructively, though a number of issues remain open in both areas of the negotiation.
- Round 6: The sixth round of negotiations took place on 24-26 June in Riyadh, focusing on goods market access and trade and sustainable development. This meeting, the first in over a year, was unlocked through Ministerial engagement in the first half of 2024, with the Minister for Trade meeting with his Saudi Counterpart during the WTO Ministerial conference in February, and in Riyadh at the beginning of May. Both parties engaged constructively with the trade and sustainable development chapter largely concluded, and solid progress made in the goods discussion.
- Round 7: The final round occurred on 8 September in Riyadh, with the Minister for Trade meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Minister of Commerce Al Qasabi. The ministers discussed and agreed the way forward to resolve the final remaining issues.
What happens next?
With negotiations concluded, the Agreement will undergo full legal verification to prepare it for signature and public release.
New Zealand and the GCC will work towards signing the FTA, at which point both parties will commence their respective legal processes to bring the Agreement into force. For New Zealand, this includes the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee reviewing the signed text and a National Interest Analysis, an opportunity for the public to make submissions on the FTA, and the Committee providing a report to Parliament. Parliament will then consider the legislation required to implement the agreement.
This Agreement complements, and builds on, the recently concluded Comprehensive Partnership Agreement with United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Agreement text will be released once it has been signed.