Trade leaders of New Zealand and the EU meet to discuss a potential free trade agreement

by | Oct 30, 2015 | Trade In The News | 0 comments

Remove

EU Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malmström, and New Zealand’s Minister of Trade, Tim Groser, met on 29 October in Brussels to launch discussions on the scope of a potential bilateral free trade agreement.

The meeting followed the announcement earlier today by President Juncker, President Tusk and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr Key, of their shared commitment to engage in the process leading towards a high-quality free trade agreement.

Both sides agreed that the future deal should comprehensively address all of the issues concerning the current trade and investment relation. The shared aim is to create rules that correspond to the reality of global supply chains and the increasing international interdependence in manufacturing and provision of services. The future agreement would also promote transparency of rules, the fight against corruption and coherence between economic benefits, workers’ rights and environmental protection.

Commissioner Malmström and Minister Groser also used this opportunity to exchange views on the preparation for the upcoming 10th Ministerial Conference of the World Tarde Organisation (WTO) and the ongoing talks on a Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) in which both the EU and New Zealand participate.

Background

The EU and New Zealand are close partners that share similar values and already cooperate closely on trade policy issues, including in the multilateral area.
Today’s discussions stem from a reflection process initiated in March 2014 and the Commission’s subsequent plan to seek a Council authorisation to open negotiations, as mentioned in the EU trade and investment strategy of 14 October 2015.

In parallel to the preparatory talks with New Zealand and ahead of seeking a mandate from EU Member States for engaging formally in the negotiations, the Commission will assess the potential impact of the future agreement on EU interests, also taking into account the sensitivities in the EU farming sector.

0 Comments

REGISTER WITH TRADE WORKS

Register to stay up to date with latest news, as well as saving and discussing articles you’re interested in.

 

Remove

 

Latest News

LAMENTATION DAY

When President Trump spoke in the White House Rose Garden to launch his wrecking-ball “fair and reciprocal tariffs”, there were some in the audience wearing hard hats.  While this was doubtless to show support for the move amongst hard-working Americans, maybe...

BUSINESS FORUM WELCOMES INDIA FTA NEGOTIATIONS

Media release, 17 March 2025 The NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF) welcomes the launch of free trade negotiations with India, announced in Delhi, and is particularly pleased that these will proceed on a comprehensive basis. “There is enormous value to be gained...

Playing the long trade game with India

Prime Minister Luxon is at last making his visit to India with a large business and community delegation.  We wish them well in expanding and deepening the relationship with India.  The reasons for doing so we have explained previously. Our Government’s...

SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

PROPOSED GREEN ECONOMY JOINT WORKING GROUP WITH CHILE AND SINGAPORE MARCH 2025 Introduction This submission is made on behalf of the New Zealand International Business Forum (NZIBF), whose members are listed at Annex A[1]. NZIBF is a forum of senior business leaders...

SOUTHERN LINK REVISITED SEMINAR, SEPT 2024

On 24 September 2024 a stakeholders seminar was held in Auckland to reassess the Southern Link concept, five years after a large conference kickstarted focused discussion of the idea (before Covid intervened).   This report of the seminar discussions...

T Day has come

STOP PRESS – NOT SO FAST.  This post deals with the tariffs President Trump announced on 1 February he would impose on Canada, Mexico and China.  By 4 February he announced imposition of tariffs on Canada and Mexico would be suspended for 30 days (until 5 March). ...

Back to the future?

The end of 2024 has trade advocates reaching back to their 2016 taking points as an Administration of a depressingly protectionist hue prepares to take office in the United States, once the global champion for trade liberalisation.  We do not know for now what,...