AmCham survey finds US companies in NZ support TPPA

“Annual AmCham survey finds no TPPA opposition from US companies operating in NZ”

The American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand has conducted an annual survey of US companies operating in NZ since 2006. As part of their 2015 survey companies were asked them if they supported TPPA, with not one expressing their opposition.

 Drilling into the survey, AmCham Executive Director, Mike Hearn points out that preliminary results show 80% of those responding expressly note their support for the agreement, that 20% skipped the question but that not one respondent expressed opposition to the agreement.

 “Clearly these are internationally savvy enterprises and so this result comes as no real surprise,” said Mr Hearn.

 Drawing from AmCham’s submission to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee, Mr Hearn, said there were real wins for NZ exporters to the US in the dairy, timber, beef, horticulture, agricultural goods and wine industries.

 “Over $826m of New Zealand’s protein products will be duty free into the US on the TPPA’s entry into force, with other duties for New Zealand dairy exports within WTO tariff quotas also being eliminated.”

 AmCham’s submission also points out that the advent of Closer Economic Relations (CER) with Australia saw firms on both sides of the Tasman take up trading opportunities far more quickly than anticipated.

 Mr Hearn said he was sure TPPA would also deliver results more quickly than anticipated as New Zealand firms were not only already internationally very competitive but, from what he’d seen of our companies operating in the US, nimble and quick to capitalise on commercial opportunities.

 “TPPA also opens up very lucrative markets in Asia such as Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam,” he said.

 Click here for copy of submission to Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee