15 Jun 2014

Too early to call on trade tariffs

1:43 pm on 15 June 2014

The Trade Minister has said it's still too early to say whether trade tariffs on New Zealand goods entering the United States will be dropped.

Tim Groser said New Zealand has nothing to fear from the talks on the Trans-Pacific-Parnership, which have now been going for five years.

He said the goal for New Zealand is to get fewer trade barriers for New Zealand into the US bit it's too soon to say if that will be successful.

He said trade negotiations always come down to what happens in the last five minutes.

Mr Groser said opposition to the TPP is being stirred up by people with their own agenda.