On 21 June 2018, Trade Commissioner Malmstrom and Trade Minister Parker officially launched negotiations for a comprehensive and ambitious trade agreement between the EU and New Zealand. Eight rounds of negotiations have been completed, the most recent of which took place from 8-19 June 2020.
During the course of these negotiations, Ireland has, as with all such negotiations, insisted that they are handled appropriately and in a manner that safeguards the interests of our agri-food sector, particularly our most sensitive sectors.
Prior to the most recent round of negotiations, the European Commission circulated a "draft second market access offer" for Member States' consideration. This offer included more sensitive lines, such as beef, dairy and sheepmeat, which were absent from the EU's initial market access offer. Ireland and other Member States expressed concerns to the Commission in relation to the sheepmeat offer in particular through the Trade Policy Committee in early June, which was attended (virtually) by officials from both my Department and the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. In response, the Commission revised the proposed offer significantly downwards.
My Department will continue to monitor these and other negotiations closely, with a view to continuing to protect the interests of the Irish agri-food sector.