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EU Charge d'Affaires a.i. Mr George Cunningham signs convention on behalf of the EU, watched by Mr Gerard Van Bohemen, NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

European Union signs High Seas Fishery Resource Convention 

The signing of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources of the South Pacific Ocean took place during a regular meeting of senior New Zealand officials and their counterparts from the EU’s Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in Wellington on Monday 26th July.  The Convention will establish the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) to manage non-highly migratory fish species in the region, including deep sea fish stocks.

The EU is the seventh party to sign the SPRFMO Convention, which will close one of the last remaining governance gaps for high-seas fisheries.Both the EU and New Zealand are keen to ensure that fish stocks are sustainably managed, especially through effective regional fisheries management organisations.  

Also discussed at the Wellington meeting were trade issues and the problem of illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing. The  biannual dialogue between New Zealand and the EU on fisheries is one of several NZ-EU dialogues held on a regular basis, covering a wide range of political and economic themes of common interest. 

 Murray McCully with Miguel Ángel Moratinos

EU-New Zealand hit it off in Madrid

The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, acting for the EU's High Representative, Catherine Ashton, joined his New Zealand colleague, Foreign Minister Murray McCully, in chairing the six monthly EU-New Zealand Political Dialogue at Ministerial level. In a strictly bilateral context, both delegations covered topics regarding the EU's institutional development with special emphasis on external relations and EU enlargement, as well as issues related to the current world economic and financial situation. They worked to move forward the implementation of the EU-New Zealand Joint Declaration, adopted at the Ministerial Meeting in Lisbon in September 2007, the reference framework for EU-New Zealand relations until now. In the regional context, the partners addressed recent developments in the Asian regional architecture as well as the situation in Asia-Pacific—including Afghanistan and its neighbour Pakistan—and in the South Pacific. Finally there was a discussion on the effects of climate change and the measures that are being adopted by both sides to tackle this environmental threat.

Top Image: Chris Kebell, NZ Food Safety Authority and
Ludovic Avril, with raw milk cheese
Bottom Image: EU stand at Fine Food NZ

Taste of Europe at Fine Food NZ

Until now, milk products had to be pasteurised or heat-treated to be sold in New Zealand. This is set to change! As an entrée to the market opening, the European Union Delegation helped organise 15 varieties of raw milk cheeses from 7 EU countries to be on offer at the European Union stand, "Taste of Europe", at Fine Food NZ trade show, 13-15 June, Auckland.

The NZ-Europe Business Council, the NZ-German Business Association and the EU Delegation sponsored the EU stand. Many other beautiful European treats were on display too:

• Tatratea, a Slovak liqueur new to the NZ market
• Tuscan red wine
• famous brands Evian, Badoit and Orangina
• schnapps, whisky & beer
• sauerkraut, rotkohl
• olives & olive oil
• foie gras
• pasta & sauces
• mustards & condiments
• chocolate
• and exquisite Rona glassware.

An estimated 5800 industry-only people visited the trade show. Delicious European raw milk cheeses will be on sale in NZ from July onwards.

Click here for more about this event.

Slovak Economic Counsellor's Report

Lesley Middleton and Maive Rute

EU-New Zealand Science & Technology Cooperation Agreement

On 10-11 June, the European Commission brought its largest-ever scientific delegation - 12 Commission Officials and several scientific experts - to New Zealand for the 2nd Joint Science & Technology Cooperation Committee Meeting. This visit is based on the EU-New Zealand Science & Technology Cooperation Agreement signed in July 2008, allowing researchers to collaborate in the EU's Framework Programmes and New Zealand's research programmes.

New Zealand's Acting Chief Executive of MoRST Lesley Middleton and Chief Scientist Sir Peter Gluckman lead the NZ side. The European Commission Delegation was led by Ms Maive Rute, Director of the Food Agriculture and Biotechnology Unit in the European Commission's Directorate General for Research & Technology Development. Both sides signed a communique afterwards to mark the special occasion.

Click here to view a copy of the signed agreement.

Minister Collins and
Chargé d'Affaires a.i. George Cunningham

Europe Day celebrates 50 Years of Diplomatic Relations in New Zealand

In a wide-ranging speech to around 200 guests at the Wellesley Club in Wellington on 19th May, George Cunningham spoke about the history of European integration and how the EU had enlarged to become a major world player. NZ had perceptively recognised Europe's growing significance early on by establishing diplomatic relations already in 1960. Since then it has benefited from a likeminded relationship with the largest economy in the world. Despite being half a world away, the number of official visits from the EU to NZ has been on the increase over the past six months, a true example of "distance makes the heart grow fonder". The EU and NZ are acting together in many international fora and because of that, Mr Cunningham noted that "NZ's commitment to the ETS is important and will help everyone keep the momentum going for the next major world climate change meeting in Mexico and beyond".

Minister Judith Collins responded warmly "on behalf of a country that cherishes its European traditions". She noted the strong historic connections and the hard work being done together in trouble spots around the world, both recently in such places as Afghanistan and former Yugoslavia, and in past World Wars. Cooperation is nowadays so wide-ranging that NZ sees "the whole of Europe as one of our most vital partners in trade, education, scientific research, culture and personal linkages". Thus Europe Day 2010 demonstrated more than ever before that the unbreakable bonds that tie the EU and NZ together.

Click here for George Cunningham's Europe Day 2010 speech
Click here for Minister Judith Collins Response

Deadline for abstracts for EUCN Conference - European Integration at 60: Progress, Problems, Perspectives

somewhat different Contemporary Design and the Power of Convention

The UK Economy Under a Coalition Government - Open for Business