It said that the NZ-EU FTA is set to be negotiated in parallel with the Australia-EU FTA. Likely timeframes at this stage are public consultation until the end of May, which is open now and HortNZ and all exporters have been urged to make submissions and get their European partners to submit in support.

HortNZ added that it was told the EU places great weight on these public submissions. The first impact assessment is due early next year, followed by EU Member State consideration, a final scoping paper and then the European Parliament permits commencement of negotiations in mid-2017 which are likely to take at least three years.