NEW ZEALAND'S INVESTMENT CLIMATE: SELECTED LEGAL AND BUSINESS ASPECTS

Abstract

The paper analyses major characteristics of the investment climate in New Zealand, a country that has taken effective measures to enhance its commercial attractiveness and regularly tops the list of the world's most comfortable places to do business. Specifically, issues related to New Zealand’s investment climate, the Ease of Doing Business criteria and their forecasted relevance to 2023 are explored in detail. More specifically, the article focuses on several aspects – legal, including an international law perspective, issues of international arbitration and bilateral investment processes. Plus to that, it reveals main changes in the criteria of the Ease of Doing Business rating, which is no longer published after 2020. Taking New Zealand as a case study, the author makes a brief overview of major features of doing business and scrutinizes selected legal aspects of investing in the country. Lastly, major Ease of Doing Business criteria are extrapolated into 2023. According to the author, ample evidence indicates that the overall business and investment milieu in New Zealand has been and remains generally positive.