Publication of report pursuant to Section 42 of the Agriculture Act 2020 on the UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement

Statement

The Government has, today, laid before Parliament a report on the UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. The report is required under Section 42 of the Agriculture Act 2020, prior to the agreement being laid before Parliament for formal scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (CRaG).

The Government has always been clear that we will not compromise on the UK’s high environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards in our trade negotiations. This report, which draws on independent advice from the Trade and Agriculture Commission^[1], Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland, confirms the Government’s view that the UK-New Zealand FTA is consistent with the maintenance of UK statutory protections in these areas.

This report is intended to inform and support scrutiny of the UK-New Zealand agreement prior to its ratification and entry into force. The text of the agreement was published on 28^th February 2022 and will be formally laid before Parliament for scrutiny under the provisions of CRaG in due course.

^[1] TAC advice published on 30^th June 2022 at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-new-zealand-fta-secretary-of-state-for-international-trades-request-for-trade-and-agriculture-commission-advice