Singapore-New Zealand Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies in force

27 August 2026

On 17 July 2026, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (“MTI”) announced that the Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (“Agreement”) has entered into force between Singapore and New Zealand.

The Agreement is the world’s first legally binding bilateral supply chain resilience agreement and reflects both countries’ longstanding commitment to uphold free and unimpeded trade. The Agreement will be incorporated into the Agreement between New Zealand and Singapore on a Closer Economic Partnership (ANZSCEP), the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between both countries.

Under the Agreement, Singapore and New Zealand commit not to impose unnecessary export restrictions on agreed essential supplies, including food, fuel, healthcare, chemical, and construction products. The Agreement also establishes a framework for both countries to facilitate the movement of goods, share information, and engage in consultations before or during supply chain disruptions. This will provide businesses and consumers on both sides with greater confidence should supply chain disruptions occur.

Reference materials

The press release is available from the MTI website www.mti.gov.sg.