Search

7.17. The agreement is New Zealand's first bilateral trade deal to include specific commitments on climate change and will also contain provisions eliminating environmentally harmful subsidies. This includes commitments to take steps to eliminate harmful fossil fuel subsidies, and to prohibit fisheries subsidies which lead to overfishing. The environment chapter will also prioritize the elimination of tariffs on at least 268 environmentally beneficial products – the largest environment goods list ever agreed in an FTA. For the first time in an environment chapter, both sides will also acknowledge the perspective of Māori on the environment and will include Māori concepts such as kaitiakitanga and whakapapa.

7.20. (...). New Zealand is working with the European Union to bring FTA negotiations to a successful conclusion and deliver a high-quality, comprehensive agreement to foster even greater economic connection with the European Union's 27 member states. The European Union is already New Zealand's fourth largest trading partner with two-way goods and services trade of NZD 16.5 billion. It is expected that the FTA will deliver significant outcomes in the goods, services and investment sectors, and include ambitious outcomes on social and environmental priorities. (...). New Zealand is breaking new ground in negotiations on an Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) with six partners. (...)

8.1. (...). New Zealand will remain an active participant in WTO negotiations, seeking ambitious outcomes to address shared challenges, including health, environmental sustainability and climate change, and inclusive development and growth. (...).

1.6. As outlined in the new foreign economic policy strategy and the COVID-19 transition strategy for economic policy, creating and maintaining opportunities for Swiss based businesses abroad through trade and investment remains a key policy objective for Switzerland, taking account of sustainability considerations.

1.9. Switzerland attaches high importance to reducing gaps in the level of development between nations, to promoting the further integration of developing countries into the global economy, and to the need to make economic development more sustainable. The Government also takes seriously public concerns about the negative impact of globalization and structural changes in the economy. In this context, Switzerland strongly supports the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and measures that promote socially and environmentally sustainable economic growth.

1.28. (...) The Confederation's foreign economic policy aims to maintain and increase prosperity in Switzerland, while respecting the Sustainable Development Goals. The strategic objectives of this policy are an international regulatory framework with wide participation, non discriminatory access to international markets, and economic relations that contribute to sustainable development in Switzerland and abroad.

1.29. (...) foreign economic policy issues are increasingly diverse: on the one hand, growing digitalisation is creating new opportunities and calls for new regulatory approaches. On the other hand, Switzerland is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, with the goal of sustainability requiring a "horizontal" integration of environmental and social issues.

1.32. Thanks to its policy of openness, Switzerland has been able to integrate into the global economy and take advantage of international value chains over the past few decades. The foreign economic policy strategy builds on this achievement and sets out nine priority areas for action: (...)
• Contributing to environmental and social sustainability – Switzerland promotes sustainable trade and international standards for the protection of the environment, human rights and workers' rights. It is also committed to corporate social responsibility;
• Integrating the digital economy – Given its high economic and scientific ranking, Switzerland is committed to the creation of international rules for digital trade and the free flow of data. In various international organizations, it promotes its interests in the development of sustainable and widely supported solutions for the digital economy;
(...)

1.36. In addition, the Swiss economy will face various challenges in the coming years. (...) Two other major challenges are the outstanding questions over future economic integration into the EU internal market and the implementation of a cost effective climate policy.

1.37. Switzerland: (...) The pandemic has also shown that: (...) an effective and efficient environmental and climate policy is essential for sustainable growth.