On Thursday 16 November, European Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan gave assurances that the products identified by his services as "more sensitive" (ruminant meat and dairy products) in the negotiations for a free trade agreement between the EU and New Zealand were being taken into appropriate account in the Commission's trade strategy.
"Our successful preparatory work demonstrates that we (Ed: the EU and New Zealand) see eye to eye on many issues, but let me assure the honourable Members that we have had the utmost regard to agricultural sensitivities. In November 2016 the Commission released a study on the cumulative impact of future trade agreements in the agricultural sector. The ruminant meat and dairy sectors were identified as more sensitive in a possible free-trade agreement with New Zealand. These sensitivities are fully reflected in the European Union’s trade negotiation strategy", Hogan told the European Parliament in Strasbourg (see other article).
Hogan stated that there was a common interest in launching the negotiations as soon as possible, and he said he hoped the Council would adopt the negotiating directives "soon" with a view to starting the talks in early 2018.
The EU Council's adoption of the mandates proposed by the European Commission in September to negotiate the free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand is currently awaiting an internal debate within the EU (at the technical and political levels) on the new architecture for trade agreements (see EUROPE 11901). (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)