Brussels, 17/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has initiated the procedure required to open a new Delegation Office in Wellington. This decision to create an EU presence in New Zealand, which follows the visits last April of Commissioner Patten to New Zealand and Prime Minister Clark to Brussels, reflects Commission policy in the region, a press release states.
The initiative reflects the "growing importance of bilateral relations with New Zealand, which will also facilitate coordination of EU and NZ positions on a number of multilateral questions", Chris Patten was pleased to note. It will above all facilitate bilateral cooperation in the fields of regional and global security, development aid, trade, education, science and technology, environmental issues, fisheries, transport, people to people contacts and justice and home affairs matters, the press release reads.