Explanatory note
This note is not part of the regulations, but is intended to indicate their general effect.
These regulations, which come into force on 1 January 2017, amend the Customs and Excise Regulations 1996 (the principal regulations). The main effect of the amendments is to update product-specific rules of origin relating to certain parties with which New Zealand has free trade agreements.
The relevant product-specific rules of origin need updating to reflect the technical changes to the product-specific rules as agreed between New Zealand and its trading partners, taking account of the 1 January 2017 updates to the International Convention on the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System.
Currently, the rules of origin are set out and updated differently for different countries or groups of countries.
These regulations incorporate by reference, under section 287A of the Customs and Excise Act 1996, updated rules set out in documents that are published by the chief executive of the New Zealand Customs Service on the Customs website.
Access to the provisions incorporated by reference is also facilitated by the chief executive of the New Zealand Customs Service in the other ways required by section 287D of the Customs and Excise Act 1996.
Obsolete schedules of the principal regulations are revoked. For example, Schedule 3, Thai goods containing non-originating materials is not available on the New Zealand Legislation website (http://www.legislation.govt.nz). That website refers readers to the New Zealand Customs Service website (http://www.customs.govt.nz) for the latest version of Schedule 3.
In addition, these regulations make 2 amendments to Schedule 6 of the principal regulations.
Issued under the authority of the Legislation Act 2012.
Date of notification in Gazette: 24 November 2016.
These regulations are administered by the New Zealand Customs Service.