EU trade talks: Agricultural products one of the challenges in negotiations, says minister – RNZ

Growing food security concerns have seen farmers in Europe push back on trade, instead supporting local, says Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O'Connor.

Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O'Connor. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will meet with European leaders in Belgium next week to progress trade talks.

Negotiations with the European Union got formally underway in 2018 for the trade deal but progress has been slower than expected.

Ardern said the negotiations were in their closing stages.

Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O'Connor told Morning Report great progress had been made over the past two years.

"Nothing's a done deal until it's done and trade negotiations are inherently complex."

O'Connor said Ardern meeting in-person with leaders would provide more momentum to move forward.

But he said it was always the more difficult things in negotiations that were left to last.

"It always comes down to the agricultural products, the sensitive ones like beef and dairy and sheep meat to some extent.

"We have a whole lot of farmers in Europe and at the moment food security is a big issue, given the war in Ukraine. The farmers there think the best thing to do is support their own local farmers and actually to push back on trade.

"That's not the reality, in terms of the best solutions, but convincing them is not always easy."

The EU is made up of a number of countries, making it complex for the commissioners, he said.

"None the less, they see the wisdom in being connected with a country that shares many of their values around lowering emissions, better animal welfare standards, high labour standards, considering things like ecology and a better future. That's the reason they want to do a trade deal with us."

O'Connor would be travelling to Belgium on Friday to work with negotiators.

He met with a number of ministers from Europe, and the EU trade commissioner and agricultural minister, last week.

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EU trade talks: Agricultural products one of the challenges in negotiations, says minister - RNZ