What market access is
Market access is the ability to sell products across borders. If you want to export a product to another country, the destination country needs to accept it.
Market access for different products is negotiated between the governments of the importing and exporting countries.
The rules and requirements agreed to during these negotiations may form the basis of documents like OMARs (Overseas Market Access Requirements) and ICPRs (Importing Countries Phytosanitary Requirements).
Check OMAR or ICPR export requirements
How access is negotiated
MPI works with officials from other governments to agree on importing and exporting terms and requirements. This might be by holding government-to-government discussions, or through longer-term free trade agreement negotiations.
Free trade agreements
MPI contributes to the negotiation and implementation of free trade agreements (FTAs). FTAs include frameworks and cooperation programmes. They provide opportunities to exchange and share information with other countries.
Help getting access to a market
Sometimes trade barriers arise that can make it difficult to access a certain market. Sometimes there is no agreement in place between the countries.
Your first step should be to try to get an import permit. If you can get an import permit, you should be able to export into that market even if there's no wider agreement between the countries.
If you think you need help at a government level, you can contact us. Requests for help are prioritised according to the potential scale of any agreement. A lot of work goes into putting an agreement in place between countries. That means we need to be sure it will benefit as many New Zealand exporters as possible. Speak to your industry body first if you have one. Requests from industry bodies are prioritised above requests from individuals.
