Your request will be handled by the Press Office of the General Secretariat of the Council in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data.

Your data will be stored in the database until you unsubscribe from the service.

Certain data (name, e-mail address, preferred language, media name, media type) may be disclosed to the press offices of the European institutions, the Permanent Representations of the Member States and to European Union agencies, under the conditions laid down in Articles 7 and 8 of Regulation 45/2001.

If there is data which you would not like to be stored, please let us know at: [email protected]

Your request will be handled by the Press Office of the General Secretariat of the Council in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data.

Your data will be stored in the database until you unsubscribe from the service.

Certain data (name, e-mail address, preferred language, media name, media type) may be disclosed to the press offices of the European institutions, the Permanent Representations of the Member States and to European Union agencies, under the conditions laid down in Articles 7 and 8 of Regulation 45/2001.

If there is data which you would not like to be stored, please let us know at: [email protected]

.

Good to see you, Madam Prime Minister.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We had a very fruitful meeting this morning in a friendly, positive, constructive, future-oriented way and we were discussing the general level, the general quality of our relations – between New Zealand and the European Union. Our relations are excellent. We are like-minded and share the same views when it comes to international questions.

We were discussing – that is the reason why I asked Phil Hogan, our Commissioner for Agriculture to join this press conference – our future trade relations. I am of the opinion, shared if I can say so, by the Prime Minister, that we should do everything possible to conclude a trade agreement between New Zealand and the European Union in the course of this year. I would like to conclude this deal before the end of the mandate of my Commission. I am convinced, given the good spirit which did impact our discussions of today, that this is possible.

New Zealand is far on the map, but close to our hearts. I would like to tell the New Zealanders that this is something I am not saying every time. But I do think – having never been to New Zealand – that we have to put into place a win-win game which is, by the way, not a game but a strategy. There is nothing between New Zealand and the European Union which could pose problems, although the issues we have to discuss are very difficult and demanding.

Our trade relations are developing in the best way possible. We have the same ideas on the reform of the WTO. And we were discussing climate change. Not only in the margin, but this is a common goal of the European Union and of New Zealand, of myself and of the Prime Minister. So, this was a happy moment.