On Friday 24 October, I attended the inaugural European Union New Zealand Business Summit in Auckland, celebrating the first anniversary of the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement. The event brought together an impressive gathering including EU Trade Commissioner Marcos Sefcovic, EU Ambassador to New Zealand Lawrence Meredith, dignitaries from 26 EU member states, and senior New Zealand government officials including Prime Minister Luxon, Deputy Prime Minister Seymour, Minister of Trade Todd McClay, Hon Tama Potaka, and Hon Dr Shane Reti.
The first year of the FTA has already delivered a $2 billion increase in exports, and New Zealand has positioned itself through the CPTPP as the “gateway” to 3 billion consumers. What particularly excited me was learning that this agreement grants New Zealand access to Horizon Europe, the world’s largest publicly funded research programme with €90 billion in funding. New Zealand is already a core collaborator on 21 projects, including one coincidentally named “Stella”!
The opportunities are significant for amplifying our capabilities in agritech, space, defence, biotech, and of course healthtech. Several panellists emphasised the importance of building capabilities in quantum computing and cybersecurity, areas where cross-border collaboration will be essential.
Minister McClay and Commissioner Sefcovic also discussed the potential for integrating the EU with the CPTPP, creating a mega trade pact spanning the Asia Pacific. The day concluded with agreement that this should become an annual event, with next year’s summit likely hosted in Europe.
I’m grateful to EU Ambassador Lawrence Meredith for the invitation. It was an inspiring day that reinforced the strong opportunities for New Zealand’s digital health sector in European markets.
