Frequently Asked Questions

Supply chain FAQs

The Supply Chain Agreement seeks to improve the resilience of supply chains across the Indo-Pacific by establishing architecture and processes that enhance collaboration to build resilient and robust supply chains and facilitate a collective response to supply chain crises.
Read the published text of the Supply Chain Agreement [PDF, 318 KB]

The IPEF Supply Chain Agreement is a first-of-its-kind agreement.
Recent experience shows us that supply chain disruptions impact not only our importers and exporters, but our producers, consumers, businesses and the general public. New Zealand joined the IPEF Supply Chain Agreement specifically to address supply chain disruptions which have contributed directly to the global spike in inflation and cost of living that is hitting New Zealand households.

New Zealand negotiators ensured that geography and scale considerations were explicitly taken into account in the Agreement.
The IPEF Supply Chain Agreement connects countries like New Zealand and Fiji to the wider region, providing greater certainty for exporters and importers. In the event of a supply chain disruption the agreement’s Crisis Response Network will facilitate expedited communication with regional partners, and quick and coordinated responses.

The Clean Economy Agreement is a set of cooperative commitments which cover a range of issues critical to transitions to clean economies, including efforts towards energy security and transition, climate resilience and adaptation, greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and just transition.
Investment is an important part of the Clean Economy Agreement. Recognising the need for financing for climate-related infrastructure, technologies, and projects in support of their transitions to clean economies, the agreement will increase the flow of investments into the region and mobilise and expand access to financing.

The agreement is fundamentally about collaborative effort at a regional level in response to global warming. This framework will catalyse urgently needed climate action through initiatives that bring together technology, finance and regulatory reform.
Engagement on clean energy development and deployment will benefit New Zealand’s access to transformative technologies needed for our Emissions Reduction Plans.

There are a number of other international agreements covering anti-corruption and tax. The Fair Economy Agreement uses these as a basis and will be helpful in ensuring effective implementation of existing international agreements like the UNCAC (United Nations Convention Against Corruption) and the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.
Trade Agreements often include anti-corruption chapters. For example, the CPTPP includes a transparency & anti-corruption chapter.

Strong economic governance rules are a key base on which to build an Indo-Pacific that is attractive to investors.
The Fair Economy Agreement also includes a capacity building component to assist countries in implementing these provisions to a high standard.

Negotiations in the Trade Pillar cover a number of areas, including Agriculture, Digital Trade, Inclusivity, Services Domestic Regulation, Good Regulatory Practice, Trade Facilitation, and Technical Assistance and Economic Cooperation.

While IPEF is not a free trade agreement, the IPEF agenda addresses supply chain issues, regulatory issues, non-tariff barriers, digital trade, climate action and due diligence issues that matter to investors.
A report from Sense Partners estimates non-tariff barriers were costing New Zealand exporters $12 billion a year.