BACKGROUND

• Malaysia and New Zealand commenced negotiations on the bilateral FTA in May 2005. The Malaysia-New Zealand FTA (MNZFTA) negotiations were concluded on 30 May 2009 at the 10th round of negotiations in Kuala Lumpur.

• The Agreement was signed by both Ministers of Trade on 26 October 2009 in Kuala Lumpur.

• MNZFTA entered into force on 1 August 2010.

• The main text of the Agreement can be viewed via this link MNZFTA Agreement

TRADE WITH NEW ZEALAND

• In  2016:

  • Total trade with New Zealand amounted to RM5.46 billion (US$1.31 billion), contracted by 22.4% from RM7.03 billion (US$1.80 billion) in 2015.

  • Exports decreased by 29.7% to RM2.82 billion (US$0.68 billion) from RM4.02 billion (US$1.02 billion) in 2015.

  • Imports amounted to RM2.63 billion (US$0.63 billion), decrease of 12.6%, from RM3.02 billion (US$0.78 billion) in 2015.

• Major exports to New Zealand in 2016:

  • Crude Petroleum

  • Electrical and Electronic Products

  • Manufactures of Plastics

  • Manufactures of Metal

  • Other Vegetable Oil

• Major imports from New Zealand in 2016:

  • Processed food

  • Other Agricultures

  • Paper & pulp products

  • Crude Petroleum

  • Chemicals & Chemical products

SCOPE

Areas covered under MNZFTA include:

1. Initial Provisions

2. Trade in Goods

3. Rules of Origin

4. Customs Procedure and Cooperation

5. Trade Remedies

6. Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures

7. Technical Barriers to Trade

8. Trade in Services

9. Movement of Natural Persons (MNP)

10. Investment

11. Intellectual Property (IP)

12. Competition Policy

13. Economic Cooperation

14. Transparency

15. Institutional Provisions

16. Dispute Settlement

17. General Exceptions

18. Final Provisions 

TRADE IN GOODS

• The Agreement outlines commitments of both countries on liberalisation of trade in goods.

• New Zealand has eliminated 100 per cent of its import duties beginning 1 January 2016, which means the duty for ALL products is now at 0%.

• Except for products listed under Exclusion List (EL), Malaysia’s import duties beginning 1 January 2016 is already at 0%.

EXPORT-IMPORT PROCEDURES

Exporting to New Zealand

• If you are exporting to New Zealand, there is no duty for ALL products. This is because New Zealand has eliminated import tariffs for ALL products beginning 1 January 2016 which means the duty for ALL products now is 0%. Please click this link to check on the preferential duties under MNZFTA:

New Zealand - Schedule of Tariff Commitments

• Nevertheless, in order for your product to enjoy the preferential duty of 0%, it must fulfill the Rules of Origin (ROO) criteria under MNZFTA.

 

Importing from New Zealand

• If you are importing from New Zealand, please click this link to check on the preferential duties under MNZFTA:

Malaysia MNZFTA Tariff Schedule

• Nevertheless, in order for the product to enjoy the preferential duties, it must fulfill the Rules of Origin (ROO) criteria under MNZFTA.

• Products listed under Malaysia’s Exclusion List (EL) do not qualify for duty reduction or elimination under MNZFTA. The Malaysian importer would need to pay the duty based on the current MFN rate. Kindly click this link for Malaysia’s EL:

Malaysia – Exclusion List

RULES OF ORIGIN

Interested parties can review the specific rules related to your product in the following links:

• Product Specific Rules Schedule

• ANNEX 2 - Product Specific Rules (Appendix on the Indicative List of Textile Finishing Processes) 

• ANNEX 3 - Procedures and Verification (Appendix on Certificate of Origin)

• Sample of the Certificate of Origin (CO) Form - MNZFTA COO

SERVICES

• MNZFTA’s liberalization of Trade in Services covers:

  • Market Access; and

  • Movement of Natural Persons. 

• For Malaysian Service Providers going to New Zealand:
  ANNEX 4 - New Zealand's Schedules of Specific Services Commitments

• For New Zealand Service Providers coming to Malaysia:
  ANNEX 4 - Malaysia's Schedules of Specific Services Commitments

• Both countries have also made commitments in the area of Movement of Natural Persons. For Malaysian Service Providers going to New Zealand:
  ANNEX 6 - New Zealand's Schedules of Movement of Natural Persons Commitments

• For New Zealand Service Providers coming to Malaysia:
  ANNEX 6 - Malaysia's Schedules of Movement of Natural Persons Commitments

CONTACT US

For Preferential Certificate of Origin / Rules of Origin related matters, please contact:

1. Ms. Norliza Zulkafli
   DL : 03-6208 4740
   Email: norlizaz@miti.gov.my
    
2. Mr. Mohd Azim Taib
   DL : 03-6208 4741
   Email: azim.taib@miti.gov.my

 

For other enquiries, please contact the FTA focal point(s) as follows:

1. Datin Ennie Salina Roseli
   DL: 03-6207 1087
   Email: ennie.roseli@miti.gov.my