Harris, speaking at the Eurotier 2016 international business even in Hannover, described the prospects for negotiations beginning in the near future as being on a “positive trajectory”.
“I have been working very hard with my team in Berlin to get support for the beginnings of FTA negotiations between NZ and the EU and we’ve made real progress in this area,” he said.
“Things are definitely going in the right direction.”
Harris spoke after launching an international trade session on the dedicated NZ stand at Eurotier, which represented 16 companies and organisations brought together at the venue by NZ Trade and Enterprise.
Asked how watching the recent drawn-out conclusion to the EU’s agreement with Canada had affected his thinking, Harris said there were some useful lessons for NZ to learn concerning how “we might do our own negotiations”.
“We’re certainly not panicked by the Canadian experience,” he said.
“The point to remember is that they have come to the end of negotiations and signed a deal. That looks to me like a successful conclusion.
“Another positive for us is that we have our own unique profile and approach to Europe, as displayed by the companies and organisations who travelled to Eurotier.
“NZ producers and manufacturers have developed some amazing, cost-effective solutions over the years, many of which were created to respond to the sort of challenges which are also now very relevant and current in Europe.”
Harris confirmed that discussions had been going on with the European Commission for some time around what an eventual FTA negotiation might look like.
“We are now moving towards a process where we hope that, in the near future, the EC will seek a mandate from member states to actually begin negotiations with NZ,” he said.
“This is not an easy time in Germany or in the EU in general concerning trade policies.
“NZ farmers are aware of that, however, understanding that it will take skill by us to navigate today’s cross-currents and make progress to the benefit of NZ exporters.”
Helping to drive that process forward at Eurotier was NZ Trade and Enterprise consul general and trade commissioner Jan Bailey, who operates full-time from the NZ consulate in Hamburg.
Asked what her department was able to do to support exporters, she outlined a range of services from pointing companies to general website advice to connecting them with a dedicated business development manager in the target market with the relevant contacts already in place.
“We’re funded by the Government so we don’t say no to anyone who contacts us,” she said.
“What we’re able to offer, however, will depend on the company concerned and the level of export development they’ve already achieved.”
As for FTA progress, Bailey said she believed a future agreement between NZ and the EU was possible.
“It’s not getting any easier to conclude FTAs, of course, but what makes me feel positive about an FTA with the EU is that we’ve been in discussions already for a considerable time.
“As a result, we are quite a way through the formal process which must precede the actual commencement of the negotiations themselves and, in that context, things a currently looking positive.”
Eurotier attracted 163,000 visitors to Hannover throughout its five-day run, including 36,000 visitors from outside Germany.
Farmers dominated visitor numbers at 66% of the total gathering with cattle (59%), pigs (38%), poultry (29%) and sheep (11%) coming out at the event’s main interest area during a survey of visitors.
