On 24 February, the European Union (EU) and New Zealand reaffirmed their strong relationship, at a meeting of the Joint Committee under their Partnership Agreement on Relations and Cooperation (PARC) in Wellignton, New Zealand.The PARC has been a keystone of the New Zealand and EU relationship since its signature in 2016.

This is the first Joint Committee meeting since the Agreement officially entered into force in 2022.

Anchored in the deep, historical relationship that New Zealand and the EU enjoy, the PARC aims to fuel cooperation between the two partners across a wide range of shared interests. The Agreement covers issues from foreign policy and security to sustainability, trade, research and innovation, climate change and justice.

New Zealand and the EU have worked closely together and supported each other to face major challenges over the past few years. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU supplied New Zealand with vaccines and they worked together to ensure the safe return home of citizens. Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine played a prominent role in discussions. They both condemned Russia’s illegal, unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and agreed on their support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and will support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes, including as regards Ukraine’s self-defence and humanitarian needs.

They both welcomed recent milestones that demonstrate the breadth and depth of cooperation, such as the conclusion of negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement, and its swift progress towards ratification, as well as New Zealand’s association to the Horizon Europe research programme and the signature of an agreement to exchange personal data between Europol and New Zealand Police data exchange agreement.

The Joint Committee noted that these activities highlighted their shared values, and agreed to continue exploring further avenues for collaboration, including in multilateral fora, in the Indo-Pacific and on climate action, sustainable development, human rights, maritime security, and the fight against violent extremism and information manipulation.

Building on previous discussions between leaders, New Zealand and the EU agreed to continue to deepen their cooperation on climate change, including through a High Level Dialogue on climate later in 2023 as well as on agriculture in International Strategic Agriculture Dialogue to be held later in 2023.

 The EU delegation was led by Ms Paola Pampaloni, Deputy Managing Director of the Asia and Pacific Department of the European External Action Service. The New Zealand delegation was led by Mr Taha MacPherson, Divisional Manager, Europe Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.