The emporer has no clothes

Some of you may be interested in this paper from thenewzealandinstitute which has just been published:http://www.nzinstitute.org/Images/uploads/The_emperor_has_no_clothes_Feb_09.pdf It provides some useful background to the current global economic and financial crisis. There is a section specifically about Agricultural exports. From time to time the New Zealand Institute publishes papers to stimulate discussion and thinking about topics of concern to New Zealanders including those involved in international trade. The URL is http://www.nzinstitute.org/

eBSI TradeBrief

Here is another freebie which some of you may be interested in. eBSI TradeBrief is published free by the electronic Business School International. It has trade related articles, expert commentaries, weblinks and features country profiles. The eBSI homepage is at:

www.ebsi.ie and you can preview TradeBrief at http://www.ebsi.ie/news.php and subscribe to the e-zine if you think you would find it useful.

There are a lot of electronic newsletters available for people involved in international trade and from time to time, I will be using the blog to make sure you know about them.

This quotation might help to brighten your day:

'The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country.' - George W. Bush

Graeme

Establishing International Exporting Standards

Have you seen the latest issue of Bright magazine? The February/March 2009 issue on p.38 features an article about the two new exporting schools in New Zealand, including the New Zealand School of Export. Have a look and give us your feedback - if you would like a copy of the article send an email to info@export.ac.nz

Google Street View

Have you searched for your house on Street View yet? There is a link on Quicklinks on the School website now, but here it is for anyone who wants to get into it now:

http://maps.google.co.nz/help/maps/streetview/

There is help available for first time users.

It could be of use to the exporter who is looking for a competitor's premises, checking out a supplier etc. Thousands of locations in United States, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and Japan are covered. It is best to have the exact street number in order to get the quickest result, but you can search using words as well e.g. exporters. As you know, it is causing people to question whether or not it breaches privacy laws. What do you think?

Graeme

World Trade Finance

Some of you who have been following the financial ups and downs over the past months may be interested in this post by Pascal Lamy - Director-General of the WTO, to the Ideas for Development blog:

http://www.ideas4development.org/getting-worse-before-it-gets-better-trade-finance-and-the-risks-caused-by-risk/en/

It is entitled Getting worse before it gets better: trade finance and the risks caused by risk.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Pascal_Lamy.jpg

Another Review - are you already exporting to Australia?

Under CER the trade in goods and services between Australia and New Zealand has been steadily growing: see the graph from www.austrade.gov.au/CER/

The Ministry of Economic Development and MFAT are seeking the views of exporters and importers on the new Rules of Origin (ROO) which were introduced on 1 Janaury 2007. Details are available electronically from the MED website: www.med.govt.nz/upload/44133/anzcerta-roo-schedule.pdf

If you would like further liberalisation of the CER Rules of Origin you may like to send a submission:

By email to: nick.kirton@med.govt.nz

By post to: CER ROO Review
Ministry of Economic Development
P.O.Box 1437,
Wellington Attn: Nick Kirton

What are your views on free trade negotiations between P4 and the US?

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs is looking for submissions on the upcoming free trade negotiations between the US and the four member countries of P4 - the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (New Zealand, Brunei, Chile and Singapore).

The existing agreement proposes the complete removal of traiffs on trade between the four partner countries by 2017. The US is now considering whether it will join in the agreement and begin to phase out tariffs for products from the P4 countries.

While the focus has been mostly on the potential removal of the significant barriers New Zealand faces on its agricultural exports to the US, there is also potential for gains for exporters of manufactured products and services.

Submissions can be made directly to the Ministry by Monday 8 December and should be sent to:

Email: ftp4@mfat.govt.nz
Post: Trans-Pacific Agreement Submissions
FTP4
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Private Bag 18901
Wellington

Or you can fill out the online submission form at:

www.mfat.govt.nz/Trade-and-Economic-Relations/Trade-Agreements/Trans-pacific/Forms/submission-form.php