The European Union has strong historical and cultural ties with New Zealand. Both parties share a similar approach to a broad range of international challenges, such as their opposition to protectionism.

In May 2018, the Council of the EU authorised the European Commission to open trade negotiations with New Zealand and adopted negotiating directives. 

Following a four-year negotiation process and 12 rounds of negotiations, the EU and New Zealand concluded an ambitious free trade agreement (FTA) in June 2022. The deal will remove all tariffs on EU goods, support EU farmers, and protect workers and the environment through far-reaching, enforceable provisions on sustainable development.

In support of the FTA negotiations, a Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) was carried out, which showed that the agreement would have overall positive macro-economic effects for the EU and for New Zealand.

Trade picture

• Bilateral trade in goods between the two partners equalled €9.1 billion in 2022, whereas trade in services accounted for €3.5 billion in 2021.
• The EU is New Zealand’s third largest trading partner, accounting for 10.25% of total trade (following China and Australia).
• New Zealand's exports to the EU are largely dominated by agricultural products, while the EU's exports to New Zealand are focused on manufactured goods.
• The stock of EU foreign direct investment in New Zealand amounted to €9.3 billion, and the stock of New Zealand's investment in the EU was €4.3 billion in 2021.

The EU and New Zealand

Prior to their FTA, the EU and New Zealand entered into a partnership agreement in 2017, which contains a number of economic and cooperation rules. The partnership agreement entered into force in July 2022.

The EU and New Zealand also have a bilateral agreement for mutual recognition of certain technical certificates, which first entered into force in 1998 and was revised in 2012.

A veterinary agreement to simplify trade in live animals and animal products (while protecting public and animal health) has applied since 2003 and was updated in 2015.

New Zealand is a member of APEC, and part of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Furthermore, New Zealand is a member of WTO since 1995.

More information on the EU-New Zealand trade deal

Trading with New Zealand

• Importing into the EU from New Zealand
  • EU trade defence measures on imports from New Zealand
• Exporting from the EU to New Zealand
  • Trade defence measures in force in New Zealand
• Trade relations are part of the EU's overall political and economic relations with New Zealand
• New Zealand is a member of the World Trade Organization