News:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has today published an ITAG (Inclusive Trade Action Group) three-year review of the implementation of CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) in New Zealand. It reveals promising trends towards more inclusive and sustainable trade for Māori, women and SME exporters.
New Zealand is a founding member of ITAG, and in 2018 committed to evaluating the effectiveness of CPTPP three years after the Agreement’s entry into force. The ITAG review examines benefits and impacts for Māori, women, SMEs and other inclusive and sustainable trade outcomes in detail. New Zealand worked closely with Treaty partners and stakeholders to deliver this review, an important mechanism for measuring the CPTPP’s progress and informing its next steps.
More than half a million New Zealanders are employed in firms that export goods to CPTPP. Employment by these firms has grown, including for women and Māori. Median wages for women and Māori also tend to be higher in these firms than in other exporting firms. Limited data restricts the understanding of some areas, however many encouraging trends have emerged as a result of this review.
Inclusive trade does not happen without active engagement. A continuous focus on sustainability and “trade for all” ensures the full benefits of trade agreements are enjoyed across all parts of the New Zealand economy. As a process that will build on lessons learnt over time, the ITAG review is an important step.