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MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Of course the big news this month is that the TPPA has finally been signed! More on this in my Op Ed below, where I seek to provide some clear information around the benefits to be gained. This includes addressing the perceived loss of sovereignty, for New Zealand in general and Maori in particular.

The Government is running nation-wide roadshows on the TPPA for interested members of the public, and to assist businesses to plan for new export opportunities when it comes into force. Registrations are now open for the first four roadshows here. 

The next big thing on the export agenda is our annual must-attend event for Kiwi exporters: Go Global.

We are starting to organise some star speakers who can share valuable exporting tips with you a this year's event at the Langham Hotel, Auckland on 26 May 2016. Watch this space for more details coming soon.

Catherine Beard
027 463 3212 or cbeard@exportnz.org.nz

Trade Update

In this month's Trade Update I look at what happens next in the TPP process now that the agreement has been signed. I also give a round up of other negotiations that are going on - including the proposed FTA with the EU; plus India, GCC, China and there is some talk around Turkey and Sri Lanka. More...

Maori are amongst the biggest beneficiaries of TPP

In the interests of informing the debate about the TPP and Maori opposition, I put out this opinion editorial on 5 February.

The National Business Review printed it in full. You can read it here.

F & B trip to Indonesia

The Asia New Zealand Foundation is offering five young New Zealand food and beverage entrepreneurs the chance to visit Indonesia.

The idea is to get F&B people meeting their Indonesian equivalents  - young F&B leaders who have learnt how to market their products to the Indonesian market.

The week-long programme will give participants a better understanding of the food and beverage sector in Indonesia, the fourth most populous country in the world.

Applications close 26 February 2016. More...

Check out previous visits to:

Iran - new regulations

On 16 January 2016 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported to the UN Security Council that Iran had taken a series of measures called for by the historic nuclear agreement between Iran, the Five Permanent (P5) members of the United Nations Security Council, and Germany. This historic development has been welcomed by NZ.

Accordingly, a series of previous Security Council resolutions on the Iranian nuclear issue, including sanctions, have now been terminated and new specific restrictions applied.

NZ has now started the domestic process for removing the UN sanctions and updating its regulations, which is expected to be completed in February. Until the domestic process is completed, the existing NZ regulations for doing business with Iran – including the obligation to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade – remain in place. More...

Save the Date! Export Awards Bay of Plenty

The Bay of Plenty ExportNZ Awards 2016 are taking place on Friday 24 June at 6pm at the ASB Baypark Stadium Lounge, Mount Maunganui. Book it in your calendar now!

Tickets for sale and awards entries open 16 March.

New UHT-Aseptic courses from The Foodbowl

These courses are designed by renowned DWC FoodTech Consulting. Click on the links below for more information.

Agribiotech: Growing our Exports - 5 April

NZBIO'S 2016 Agricultural Biotech Symposium will be held in Palmerston North on 5 April 2016.

Join NZBIO and enjoy an exceptional line-up of internationally renowned keynotes and technical sessions focused on innovative agribiotechnologies.

In a market dominated by multinational powerhouses, New Zealand plays a vital role in developing new biotechnologies for addressing evolving consumer needs and the challenges of climate change, producer profitability and food availability.

Find out more details and register for the event here.

Helpful tools for SMEs

Protect online records is critical for businesses' commercial success and their ability to do business online. The Government recently released a cyber security strategy highlighting how to keep your business safe from cyber-attacks - click here.

Another helpful tool is the Business Transformation programme that makes it simpler for businesses to manage PAYE and GST.  The focus for proposed changes to GST is on digital filing to reduce time and cost to businesses. For more information click here.

Business.govt.nz has also created a simple tax infographic that may help with the basics. Click here.

There are a number of law changes, such as Health and Safety, which affect small and medium businesses in 2016. For more information click here.
 

Resilience - Asia-Pacific Energy Leaders' Summit

Top level Ministers, policymakers and business executives from around the world are gathering in Wllington on 16-17 March to discuss Delivering Resilient Energy Infrastructure. Co-hosted by the BusinessNZ Energy Council and the World Energy Council, the event will allow decision-makers from business and governments to share ideas, experiences and resources on resilience - how to plan and pay for it, manage risks, collaborate and jointly find solutions.

“There is a dawning realisation of just how important resilience is,” BusinessNZ Energy Council chair David Caygill said.

“It’s about more than weather.  Resilience is a state of preparedness for all sorts of unexpected shocks and stresses including cyber-attacks and social activism.

“Themes to be discussed include emerging technologies, transport and smart cities..." More...

Bella Katz: The ugly side of design in Australia

In case you missed it, here's an interesting article by Bella Katz that appeared in the NZ Herald. It looks at how much more lenient Australian Intellectual Property laws are than those of Europe and the US; and what this means for Kiwi designers selling in Australia.

She talks to New Zealand based designer David Trubridge, who tells her that "Australia is the only country in the world where you can say 'David Trubridge' when marketing the fake version". More...

How exporters set prices

The first discussion paper of the year has been published on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s website: How exporters set prices by Miles Parker.

This paper uses a survey of 1281 New Zealand exporters to investigate the role of firm characteristics in setting export prices.

Larger, and more productive firms, are more likely to differentiate prices across markets.

Primary sector firms are more likely to price to market than firms in other sectors, even taking into account other firm characteristics. This contrasts sharply with the commonly-held view that the price of these products is determined on the international market. In a further contribution to the literature, we find that service sector firms can also price to market, at similar rates to manufacturers.

The paper is available for download here.

What's happening around the country

There are some great opportunities for improving your business through learnings at seminars, workshops and events. To see what's coming up, go to the ExportNZ home page and scroll down to see what's happening around the country.

ExportNZ
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