PACER Plus

RNZ reports On Friday, Fiji's trade minister, Faiyaz Koya, said his country was withdrawing from negotiations for PACER-Plus, citing inflexibility from Australia and New Zealand.

Fiji's withdrawal would mean the Pacific's two largest economies outside of New Zealand and Australia - Fiji and Papua New Guinea - would not be included in the deal.

Vanuatu had also recently expressed dissatisfaction.

But Dr Edwini Kessie said the remaining issues were not serious, and he believed a deal could still be reached - with Fiji included.

NZ reports trade negotiators met in Christchurch last week to address labour mobility - one of the final rounds of negotiation before the completion later in the year.

However, Vanuatu's Lands Minister, Ralph Regenvanu, said cabinet members have not seen enough of the text and there needs to be better communication to all stakeholders.

"The Pacific islands is made up of more than just governments. It's made up of more than just officials."

The countries had been seeking a legally binding agreement on labour mobility as part of negotiations around a new trade deal, PACER- Plus.

Meetings on Pacific labour mobility arrangements with Australia and New Zealand, which give unskilled workers from Pacific Island countries seasonal work visas, were held last week in New Zealand ahead of the latest rounds of talks on PACER-Plus.

At the meeting all parties agreed to have the respective Australian and New Zealand labour mobility schemes remain under non-legally binding arrangements.

Senior representatives from 16 countries met in Christchurch, to negotiate the final terms of the 'Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus' (PACER Plus) agreement which aims to create jobs and raise standards of living in the Pacific region.                                               

The ministers agreed to conclude negotiations by the end of October and seal the agreement by December, NZ minister of trade Todd McClay said in a statement.

PACER Plus aims to create jobs, raise standards of living and encourage sustainable economic development in the Pacific region. 

RNZ reports the region's trade ministers are preparing to meet in Christchurch this Friday to further discuss the agreement.

Negotiations started in 2009 and are on track to wrap up later this year.

A report from the Pacific Network on Globalisation has warned that PACER-Plus poses significant threats to island nations' governments.

It said this included threats to their right to regulate, the right to food, significant negative health impacts and disproportionate impacts on women.

RNZ reports the Australia and New Zealand led negotiations for the "Trade and Development" arrangements are due to wind up this month with the signing and ratification set to take place by December.

But the Pacific Network on Globalisation has consistently opposed PACER PLUS, saying it favours Australia and New Zealand and raises concerns about sovereignty.

PANG has repeatedly called for a halt to negotiations until an independent impact assessment of the proposed deal is conducted.

According to RNZI, the report, by the Pacific Network on Globalisation, or PANG, was based on leaked negotiating texts from talks on the regional agreement, which is still being finalised.

It accuses Australia and New Zealand of aggressively advancing their own interests, at the expense of their smaller neighbours, and called for a proper impact assessment.

One of the report's chapters was written by Auckland University's Jane Kelsey, a prominent critic of free trade agreements.

He was accompanied by the High Commissioner of Vanuatu to Australia, Kalfau Kaloris and the Director of External Trade Mr. Sumbue Antas. The two-day meeting ended yesterday, March 1.

Edwini Kessie's comment comes after Papua New Guinea and Fiji poured cold water on the current form of PACER Plus.

Pacific Islands Forum leaders last September said they wanted PACER Plus negotiations, which began in 2009, to be concluded by mid-2016.