The European Union and New Zealand signed a trade and social agreement on Thursday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern celebrated the intercontinental partnership.
In diplomatic tensions with China, which receives 30% of its exports, New Zealand is looking for new trading partners. The European Union, on the other hand, wants to strengthen its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, given its importance in the world economy and for being the scene of geopolitical rivalries.
The text addresses, in addition to free trade, issues related to durable food systems, gender equality and fossil fuel subsidies. “It’s a mutual engagement founded on trust and shared values,” celebrated European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis. “It’s the most ambitious trade deal we’ve ever had,” he added.
However, not all representatives of European countries are so excited about the news. “We will evaluate the agreement in detail”, pointed out the French minister of foreign trade, Franck Riester. “In 2023, we will verify that our interests were really taken into account”, he reinforced.
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