Wednesday, 02 August 2017 08:55

Euro leaders want to trade with NZ

Written by  Peter Burke
Trade Minister Todd McClay. Trade Minister Todd McClay.

Trade Minister Todd McClay is confident the European Union and New Zealand will begin negotiating a free trade agreement by the end of the year.

McClay says when he was in Paris at the OECD recently he met with the EU Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malmström, who confirmed her organisation was on track to launch the negotiations by the end of the year.

NZ’s reputation for fairness in negotiating trade deals is working in our favour, McClay says. We have a reputation for doing quality deals.

“Such is our reputation that Cecilia Malmström told me if the EU can’t do a deal with NZ we can’t do a deal with anyone."

He says the EU's willingness to begin talks is due to NZ's efforts over the last couple of years. He has personally met with representatives of most EU member states and some he has seen several times.

“At some stage I will seek a mandate from the cabinet to begin talks and Cecilia Malmström is going through a similar process. But there are 27 countries to deal with so it takes a bit longer,” he says.

“They have all said they want to do a FTA with NZ, but some have also noted there will be a challenge in access for our agricultural products. We know that; it is always challenging for NZ on dairy and meat, so we will just go and get the best deal we can.”

Also helpful from NZ’s point of view is that many EU countries, notably Netherlands and Ireland, have strong cultural and historical ties with us. And many new EU members are also talking up an FTA with us, including members of the former Soviet Union bloc.

“They are economies that want to trade with the world and they become richer with trade and that’s why they are open to that idea of an FTA. When the UK voted to leave the EU, people said ‘your best friend has gone’, but we have still many, many countries that support NZ on trade."

More like this

Securing the elusive India FTA

New Zealand's support for India during its current global security crisis could be key to securing a free trade agreement with the nation, according to the head of one of the country's largest independent accounting firms.

Competition culls 13,000 goats

A collaborative effort between hunters, landowners, and conservation organisations has seen the successful removal of 12,935 wild goats during the second annual National Competition.

McClay off to India - again

Almost a year to the day from when he made his first trip to India, Trade Minister Todd McClay is jetting off there again just before Christmas.

Featured

New UHT plant construction starts

Construction is underway at Fonterra’s new UHT cream plant at Edendale, Southland following a groundbreaking ceremony recently.

National

Machinery & Products

GEA launches robotic milkers

Milking technology provider GEA Farm Technologies is introducing its first automatic milking system (AMS) in New Zealand.

More front hoppers

German seeding specialists Horsch have announced a new 1600- litre double-tank option that will join its current Partner FT single…

Origin Ag clocks up 20 years

With roots dating back to 2004, Origin Ag was formed as a co-operative business model that removed the traditional distributor,…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Dark ages

OPINION: Before we all let The Green Party have at it with their 'bold' emissions reduction plan, the Hound thought…

Rhymes with?

OPINION: The Feds' latest banking survey shows that bankers are even less popular with farmers than they used to be,…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter