Negotiations on the UK's Future Trading Relationship with New Zealand: Update

30 Jun 2021 02:26 PM

The fifth round of Free Trade Agreement Negotiations with New Zealand took place between 8-16 June 2021. New Zealand’s Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor also visited the UK from 16-18 June for face-to-face talks. Both countries have agreed to accelerate negotiations to finalise the details of the deal with the aim of reaching agreement in principle.

Both countries are committed to agreeing a high quality, comprehensive free trade agreement that supports jobs, broadens consumer choice, and provides more opportunities in key industries such as services, digital trade, and the green economy.

Strong progress was made in agreeing key issues across the deal including provisionally closing a further four chapters:

Excellent progress was also made during Round 5 on the following chapters, which the UK and New Zealand agree now have a clear path to closure:

In previous rounds, chapters on SMEs, Competition, Remedies were provisionally closed.

The Government has been clear that any future deal with New Zealand must work for UK consumers, producers, and companies. Throughout the process the UK will continue to engage stakeholders to ensure their views inform our approach to negotiations.

Any deal the UK agrees will be fair and balanced and in the best interests of the whole of the country. We remain committed to upholding our high environmental, labour, food safety and animal welfare standards in the deal, as well as protecting the National Health Service (NHS).

The UK and New Zealand both remain eager to make further progress, with the UK clear that momentum needs to be maintained across the whole agreement. Ahead of the next round, negotiating teams will share further proposals and discuss a range of issues.

The next round of negotiations, Round 6, is scheduled to take place in July, with a series of intersessional discussions across the FTA planned for the next month.

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