site.btaAdopting Guidelines, Starting Negotiations on Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand, Australia is Priority of Bulgarian EU Presidency - Minister

Sofia, March 27 (BTA) - One of the key priorities of the ongoing Bulgarian EU Presidency is the adoption of guidelines and start of negotiations on a free trade agreement with New Zealand and Australia, Economy Minister Emil Karanikolov said, quoted by his Ministry, during a meeting with the Ambassador of New Zealand, Gregory Michael Andrews.

Karanikolov said that Bulgaria considers New Zealand an important partner and ally in the Asian Pacific region, with whom this country shares values and has close positions on many current issues. The two officials concurred on the need of join efforts to increase the two-way commercial exchange and promoted investments. More active work should be done on expanding the bilateral relations.

Preliminary data for 2017 show that the commercial exchange with New Zealand contracted by 15 per cent compared to 2016.