Services businesses are suffering from trade barriers that are reducing economic growth, says ExportNZ.

ExportNZ is part of a global services coalition that is urging negotiators at the Trade in Services Negotiations (TiSA) taking place this week in Geneva to achieve an effective agreement that will reduce barriers to services trade.

ExportNZ Executive Director Catherine Beard says services are a major part of most countries’ economies and the export of services is growing faster than goods exports both in New Zealand and globally.

Catherine Beard said as well as commercial services exporters (accountants, lawyers, engineering consultants, architects, education services, financial services, ICT services and others) many manufactured and goods exports are now bundled with a services offering.

“The main barriers to services trade are inconsistent regulations between countries, lack of international recognition of skills and qualifications, restrictive standards and specifications, lack of regulatory transparency, regulatory instability, inadequate dispute resolution, lack of access to human capital, lack of access to skilled talent and bureaucracy generally.  Many of these barriers could be reduced by international agreement.

“Together with Services Industry Associations in the UK, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Europe, Columbia and Mexico we urge the negotiators to progress with a high quality deal that enables the freer flow of services trade.”