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Historial EU/NZ Diplomatic relations
Since the late-Eighteenth century when Captain Cook mapped New Zealand 's coast and examined its flora and fauna, New Zealand 's relationship with Europe has been integral to the country's political and social development. New Zealand 's strongest European ally through out this period of growth was, of course, Britain. New Zealand's dependency on that bilateral relationship during its formative years was evidenced by the fact that approximately 80 per cent of exports were sent to the United Kingdom.
Essential lines of official communication were established between New Zealand and the then European Community in 1961 when a New Zealand Ambassador was accredited to Brussels and the European Commission.
The need and merit of regular informal and flexible meetings between New Zealand and the EC soon became evident and since 1975 have been convened regularly. They take place during each EU Presidency and are attended by the Foreign Minister of the Member State which holds the six month rotating Presidency, the New Zealand Foreign Minister and the European Commissioner responsible for External Relations. These meetings allow the political leaders of the EU and New Zealand to discuss the state of the relationship and share information on international developments of mutual interest in a free and frank manner. It is at the ministerial dialogue that new proposals or ideas are often discussed and the respective officials given a mandate to examine and report back.
Reinforcing the ministerial dialogue are the periodic visits to New Zealand by EU Commissioners and, of course, visits to Brussels by New Zealand Ministers. The European Parliament maintains a specific Committee for Relations with Australia and New Zealand and a similar committee of New Zealand parliamentarians interested in the EU has also been recently established.
In May 1996 the relationship between the EU and New Zealand reached a considerable turning point when New Zealand 's Foreign Minister, Rt Hon Don McKinnon, called "for some overarching agreement or arrangement with the EU to tie in our various consultations arrangements". Considerable thought in the ensuing years was given to the nature of such an agreement. In March 1998 New Zealand signified its preference for a legally non-binding but comprehensive Joint Declaration and the text of the Joint Declaration on Relations between the European Union and New Zealand was signed in Strasbourg on 4 May 1999.
This concrete sign of the deepening of the relationship paves the way for closer cooperation on a broad range of issues. More notably, it provides a solid basis for enhanced political and security cooperation with regard to the Asia-Pacific region, an area where both the EU and New Zealand have a strong interest in ensuring a framework which enhances stability and prosperity.
The shared commitment to see progress on international policy issues also positively binds the EU and New Zealand together. Consultation and cooperation in the areas of climate change, development assistance, trade and investment liberalisation, scientific research and shared humanitarian aid are but a few examples of the multilateral dimension to the modern political relationship between the parties.
It was also in mid-1999 due to the personal commitment of the EU Commissioner for trade and the emphasis he placed on the bilateral relationship, that significant process was achieved in the controversial butter dispute between the two parties. The genuine progress achieved on this complex trade matter is concrete evidence of the presence and indeed the value of the political management of the EU/NZ relationship.
The European Commission's Delegation in Canberra , Australia was accredited to New Zealand in 1984. The Head of Delegation regularly traveled to New Zealand , meeting with the government and foreign affairs officials, interest groups, media representatives and, of course, colleagues from the seven member state diplomatic missions resident in Wellington . The New Zealand Government requested that the Commission open a Delegation in Wellington and in 2003 former PM Helen Clark was visiting Brussels where she hold discussions with European Commissioners and MEPs.
The European Commission Delegation to New Zealand was established in Wellington in May 2004. The Delegation keeps the European Commission abreast of significant political, economic and other developments in New Zealand and facilitates the operation and development of bilateral cooperation.
updated March 2009
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