Prime Minister John Key is hoping that Britain will help New Zealand get its toes into the European Union for free trade agreement talks - something that has so far eluded it while the EU has focused on other countries.

The kindest view you could have of the emissions trading scheme, what's left of it, is that it is a brutally pruned seedling barely surviving in frozen ground.

Prime Minister John Key has seized on David Cunliffe's reticence about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks to accuse him of taking Labour to the far left at the behest of unions and to talk up TPP.

Trade Minister Tim Groser says New Zealand is partway through a process of restoring its reputation in the world as a safe food producer after Fonterra's whey product contamination scare and subsequent product recall last month.

An 'open for business' Australia can only be good news for New Zealand, as its economic health remains vital for ours.

Riding a volatile currency is a perennial bugbear for New Zealand exporters, but overcoming that problem has created resilient businesses, says one expert.

Separate bilateral negotiations on market access within the Trans Pacific Partnership talks relate only to transitional paths, not to the end point of a single tariff schedule for all the partners, says Trade Minster Tim Groser.

The near-term outlook for the global economy is sluggish, the OECD says, as a widespread slowdown in emerging economies offsets brighter prospects for advanced ones.

National Australia Bank boss Cameron Clyne believes the key to tapping into trade in China is patience.

China is fast becoming our dominant trading partner, but Kiwi business leaders based there say many New Zealand exporters are still taking a naive approach.