2876 (2025). Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan to the Minister for Trade and Investment

Written Question

Published date: 18 Feb 2025

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	2876 (2025)
Question asked:	02 Feb 2025
Member asking:	Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan
Portfolio:	Minister for Trade and Investment
Minister replying:	Hon Todd McClay
Answer received:	12 Feb 2025
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_02876_2025
Document guid:	f8b4d5e2-539e-446e-b9da-77311572ec94

2876 (2025). Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan to the Minister for Trade and Investment: What principles related to labour rights, if any, were set in the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s original negotiating mandate for the United Arab Emirates free trade agreement with New Zealand, and how, if at all, did this mandate differ from the final agreement?

Hon Todd McClay: New Zealand negotiators’ mandate, provided by Cabinet, required negotiators to pursue trade and sustainable development outcomes that would advance New Zealand’s international trade and sustainability interests including in relation to labour. The outcomes secured – which are the most extensive commitments by the UAE in any of its Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) to date – were within mandate.