Thursday, 06 October 2016 12:27

EU-NZ partnership agreement signed

Written by 
Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, Murray McCully. Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, Murray McCully.

New Zealand and the European Union (EU) today signed a Partnership Agreement for Relations and Cooperation (PARC).

The high representative of the union for foreign affairs and security policy / vice-president of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, Murray McCully, signed the agreement.

Mogherini says the ambitious agreement reflects the increasingly close friendship and cooperation that has developed between our EU and New Zealand in recent years.

“In taking this important step today, we are showing not only the breadth and depth of our existing relationship, but demonstrating that we want to expand our partnership over the coming decades. It is a partnership that benefits our citizens first and foremost, and one that has real potential to grow even further in the future," he says.

McCully says New Zealand has longstanding cultural, political and economic ties to Europe, which underpin our modern relationship with the European Union.

“This agreement reinforces our shared values, including respect for human rights and the rule of law, and continued cooperation in areas such as innovation, environmental and security issues. We look forward to implementing the agreement and the subsequent strengthening of our engagement in the years to come."

The PARC Agreement provides a comprehensive framework for more effective bilateral engagement between the EU, its member states and New Zealand.

It will strengthen political dialogue and cooperation on economic and trade matters, as well as across a wide range of other areas, from science and innovation, education and culture, to migration, counter terrorism, the fight against organised crime and cybercrime, as well as judicial cooperation.

The PARC agreement also reflects cooperation in third world countries and on global issues, including in the Pacific.

With the signature of the PARC Agreement now completed, the EU and New Zealand will focus on the completion of the preparatory processes that should lead to the launching of negotiations for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement.

More like this

Papal visit

OPINION: European farmers are going to extreme lengths to have their message heard.

Farmer fury

OPINION: Farmer protests have swept Europe in recent weeks.

EU/NZ FTA signed soon?

The European Union's ambassador to NZ, Nina Obermaier, is hopeful that the FTA negotiated last year will be signed off by the middle of this year.

Sweet deal for EU honey exports

The impact of a new European Union free trade agreement removing a 17.3% tariff on NZ-sourced honey in July is translating into increasing sales volumes, according to one exporter.

Leading change in Irish dairying

A recent trip to the Green Isle as a guest of Enterprise Ireland allowed Dairy News to take a closer look at Irish agriculture and a look at one of its leading educational and research centres.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Why?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter