Exporters face $9b cost from trade barriers, ExportNZ says
Industry group ExportNZ said technical regulations and certification hurdles are costing New Zealand exporters up to $9 billion a year. Even a single technical or certification issue can render a potentially valuable market commercially unviable, particularly for smaller exporters.
ExportNZ, the industry group representing New Zealand's export sector, said technical regulations, certification requirements, and customs barriers are costing the country's exporters up to $9 billion a year. The group argues much of this cost is avoidable.
The report highlights that even a single technical or certification issue can render a potentially valuable market commercially unviable. Small and medium-sized exporters in particular have fewer resources than large corporations to navigate such bureaucratic hurdles.
ExportNZ called on the government to prioritize agreements with trading partners that would ease mutual recognition of technical standards. Officials said they are reviewing the matter but did not announce a concrete timeline.
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