On Wednesday 22.11.2023, the EU Parliament voted by a large majority in favor of the EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. 

Due to major climate, environmental and animal welfare concerns, MEP Manuela Ripa (ÖDP - the Nature Conservation Party) voted against:

"I voted against the EU-New Zealand trade agreement because, despite promises, it does not set the gold standard for progressive trade agreements. The agreement endangers the environment through liberalization, increases precarious working conditions, does not ensure sufficient animal welfare and contributes to the climate crisis. It lacks concrete measures to link investments to sustainability criteria and neglects the rights of indigenous Māori. This agreement is at odds with the changes urgently needed for a fair and sustainable economy."

 

It is being hailed as the new gold standard in trade policy - the EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
This is because it is the first EU trade agreement ever to include sanctions in the sustainability chapter. This is a great success, including our work!
However, caution is advised when considering EU-New Zealand as the new beacon for future trade agreements.

Sustainable food systems, animal welfare and the chapter on trade and economic cooperation with the indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maori, are not subject to the general dispute settlement mechanism.
Even the EU Commission's sustainability impact assessment found that the agreement will lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Increased trade activities in climate-damaging products such as cars and meat are the main drivers here.
Although precarious working conditions prevail in the meat industry of both trading partners, the agreement does not link the additional export opportunities to binding improvements in working conditions along the supply chains.
While the agreement is undoubtedly better than, for example, EU-Mercosur or CETA, it must not serve as a blueprint for future agreements in a time of species extinction and climate crisis! There is still a long way to go before free trade agreements become fair trade agreements.