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Trade Minister Todd McClay and EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.
New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.
Two-way goods and services trade between New Zealand and the EU was worth $21.58 billion in the year to June 2025.
While the trade balance heavily favours the Europeans, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says NZ is “closing the gap”.
Speaking at the inaugural EU/NZ Business Summit in Auckland today, Luxon noted that the EU is more than just a trading partner.
“We are innovation partners,” he says.
“We enjoy historical ties and share similar set of values and outlook.”
Luxon says both sides are propelling the relationship through trade, defence and security partnerships.
He says that with 450 million discerning consumers, the EU presents a fantastic opportunity for NZ exporters.
The summit is being attended by EU’s top trade official - Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says it will be the first time an EU Trade Commissioner has visited since 2018, which was for the formal launch of free trade talks.
More than 400 businesses including representatives of 26 European Union member states represented are attending the summit.
“This summit will open doors for trade, creating opportunities for business growth and investment and to reach our goal of doubling export value in 10 years,” McClay says.
The inaugural NZ-EU Trade Committee meeting will also be held tomorrow in Queenstown.
“I’m pleased to be hosting Commissioner Sefcovic for this milestone meeting, which will ensure we are making the most of our high-quality Free Trade Agreement,” says McClay.
“We’re committed to unlocking the full potential of this agreement to boost trade, investment and partnership so businesses across New Zealand and Europe can flourish.
“The EU is an important trading partner for New Zealand, both for exports and imports with New Zealand exports having increased by $2 billion since the FTA entered into force last year.”
Otago Southland Young Farmer Tom Slee has been crowned the Season 58 FMG Young Farmer of the Year after an outstanding performance at the Grand Final in New Plymouth, the first time the event has been held in the region.
With the New Zealand/India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) dominating political debate here, India Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting New Zealand next week.
China remains New Zealand’s biggest market, taking $23 billion of our exports, but it’s no longer a commodity story, says Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he wants the primary sector pumping and remain on the front foot globally.
The Government is looking at intervening on behalf of Waikato farmers who face new regulations around agricultural land use while Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms are underway.
New Zealand dairy farmers are set to be the first in the world to receive access to a new digital physical milk pricing tool that enables them to fix the price for their physical milk.
State farmer Pāmu is opening its farm gates this summer in an effort to give the rural sector the opportunity to see how large-scale, multi-system farming is delivering productivity and profitability across New Zealand.
A five-year study has found that the cost of reducing emissions without technology may be significant and unsustainable for Northland dairy farmers.
DairyNZ says Waikato farmers need certainty on Plan Change 1, but they say that certainty must be matched with practical, workable rules and a clear transition that doesn't get ahead of the new resource management system currently under review.
While the Government has moved quickly to make commercial hauliers' lot easier during the current fuel crisis, they appear to be stuck in the creep box when it comes to the agricultural industry.
Waikato farmers have been told that the Government’s new planning system legislation and the region’s Plan Change 1 (PC1) “won’t mesh together very well”.
