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New Zealand, Australia to smooth border control for trusted traders

Xinhua, November 6, 2015 Adjust font size:

Border authorities in New Zealand and Australia have signed a commitment to bring about a more unified security programs to speed up trade, New Zealand Customs officials said Friday.

New Zealand Customs and the Australian Border Force have signed a statement of intent in Canberra to work towards a mutual recognition arrangement (MRA).

This was a formal arrangement that recognized each other's supply chain security programs, enabling fewer border checks and speed to market for export products. New Zealand Customs comptroller Carolyn Tremain said.

Both agencies already shared a close partnership, and the MRA would underpin the "trusted trader" programs in the two countries.

"Joint work will start soon on an MRA. Recognition will benefit trusted trans-Tasman traders by reducing clearance times and making customs processes easier," Tremain said in a statement.

Work on the MRA was expected to conclude by June next year, and it would come into effect shortly after, subject to formal comparisons of each other's programs.

Trade in goods between the two countries totaled about 18 billion NZ dollars (11.9 billion U.S. dollars) a year.

New Zealand already had MRAs with the United States, Japan and Republic of Korea. Endit