The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is the principal government agency
responsible for trade policy formulation in cooperation with technical ministries such as the
Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE). The MBIE was formed on 1 July 2012,
bringing together four separate government agencies into one ministry. These agencies were: the
Department of Building and Housing, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Department of
Labour, and the Ministry of Science and Innovation. Various other government agencies have trade
policy-related functions