PM must reinforce NZ’s commitment to EU and UK FTAs

new-zealand-national-party

Sun Apr 15 2018 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

PM must reinforce NZ’s commitment to EU and UK FTAs

Sunday, 15 April 2018, 2:48 pm
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

National Party Trade Spokesperson Todd McClay welcomes news that the Prime Minister will prioritise discussions about a free trade deal with the European Union and Post Brexit Trade talks with the UK as part of her visit to Europe and London this week.

“The UK confirmed in February last year that New Zealand would be ‘first cab off the rank for a trade deal’, with negotiations expected to commence early next year,” Mr McClay says.

“It is also my expectation that unless something disastrous happens, the European Council of Ministers will meet at the end of May to give the European Commission permission to formally start negotiations for a free trade agreement with New Zealand.

“This is very good news for New Zealand and comes after more than five years of discussions and hard work under the previous National Government.

“An FTA with the EU will be worth billions of dollars a year and has the potential to create thousands more jobs for New Zealanders.

“It’s encouraging to see that the Prime Minister will be placing the EU-NZ and UK-NZ FTAs high on her European agenda, however some EU countries will still likely have questions about New Zealand’s position on Russia.

“Given her Government’s unusual enthusiasm for a Russian trade deal, the Prime Minister must very clearly explain New Zealand’s position to avoid any doubt about our commitment to formal trade talks with the EU and UK.

“It’s important that the Prime Minister gives them a clear answer and assures them that an EU trade deal and UK FTA is a real priorities for New Zealand.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}

Using Scoop for work?

Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.

Join Pro Individual Find out more

Find more from New Zealand National Party on InfoPages.