Auckland: Malaysia and New Zealand have signed a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) to facilitate smoother customs procedures for exporters in both countries. The agreement, signed in Auckland, allows each nation to acknowledge the other’s authorised economic operator programmes, simplifying procedures for exporters who meet global security standards.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the MRA was formalized by New Zealand Customs Service chief executive and comptroller Christine Stevenson and Royal Malaysian Customs Department director-general Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin. Stevenson emphasized that this agreement is a significant advancement in New Zealand’s trade relations within the Indo-Pacific region, enhancing business interactions and ensuring the secure movement of goods across borders.
“This arrangement builds on existing comprehensive trade agreements with Malaysia and aims to boost business between our nations,” Stevenson stated in a media release. “Authorised traders will benefit from streamlined customs procedures, reduced bureaucracy and costs, ensuring their goods reach the market swiftly and securely.”
Anis Rizana highlighted the signing as a pivotal moment for Malaysia, marking the country’s first MRA with a nation in the Oceania region. She noted that this was a reflection of mutual trust and confidence in each other’s systems, which would strengthen connectivity and cooperation across the Asia Pacific region.
Initiated in 2021, the agreement, according to Anis Rizana, underscores a shared commitment to secure and efficient trade, bolstering the resilience of regional supply chains. The existing Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and Malaysia has already eliminated tariffs on 99.5 percent of New Zealand’s exports to Malaysia, with two-way trade in goods between the two countries amounting to NZ$3.96 billion in 2024.
Malaysia stands as New Zealand’s tenth-largest trading partner, particularly in dairy products, sheep, and beef. During her visit from September 8 to 11, Anis Rizana, along with senior Customs officials, toured various Customs sites in Auckland, including the Auckland International Airport and the newly inaugurated Auckland Processing Centre for international mail.