EU, New Zealand Begin Setting Stage for Trade Talks

Preparations for potential trade talks between the EU and New Zealand are set to gear up, officials announced on 29 October, following a meeting between EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Council President Donald Tusk, and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key. “The European Union and New Zealand are longstanding and close partners,” the three leaders said afterward. “Today we committed to start the process for negotiations to achieve swiftly a deep and comprehensive high-quality Free Trade Agreement.” The talks are not set to launch straight away, however, with various other steps – such as a feasibility study – expected so that the two sides can better determine the scope of what they aim to cover in a free trade deal. The EU and New Zealand have an existing bilateral mutual recognition agreement, signed in 1999 , that aims to facilitate trade in industrial goods by reducing technical barriers. The pact mainly covers goods such as medical products and devices, telecommunications, pressure, and low voltage equipment, as well as machinery, according to the European Commission. The EU, which ranked as New Zealand’s second largest trading partner after Australia last year, largely exports manufactured goods to the Pacific country, while importing primarily...