Scientific and technological cooperation between the EU and New Zealand

SUMMARY OF:

Agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of New Zealand

Decision 2009/502/EC — conclusion of the Agreement on the scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of New Zealand

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND OF THE DECISION?

The agreement establishes a formal framework for cooperation, aiming at encouraging, developing and facilitating activities in the areas of science and technology for peaceful purposes.

By its decision, the Council approved the conclusion of the agreement on behalf of the European Community (now the EU).

KEY POINTS

Activities conducted under the agreement are based on the following principles:

mutual and equitable contributions and benefits;
mutual access to research programmes or projects operated or funded by the other party;
timely exchange of information;
promotion of knowledge-based society for the economic and social development of both parties;
protection of intellectual property rights.

Cooperation

The agreement covers two forms of cooperative activities:

direct cooperative activities including
- meetings, for example, of experts
  - to discuss and exchange information on scientific and technological topics of a general or specific nature and
  - to identify research and development projects and programmes that may be undertaken on a cooperative basis;
- exchange of information on activities, policies, practices, laws and regulations concerning research and development
- visits and exchanges of scientists, technical personnel and other experts on general or specific subjects
- other forms of activities in the area of science and technology, including implementation of cooperative projects and programmes, other forms of activities which may be decided on by the Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation;
indirect cooperative activities: any participant* from one of the parties may take part in any research programme/project operated or funded by the other party in accordance with the respective laws and regulations of the parties.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 30 January 2009 for an initial period of 5 years. It shall continue in force unless one of the parties terminates the agreement by giving notice in writing to the other party.

BACKGROUND

Relations between the EU and New Zealand are governed by a series of agreements.

The first political statement of cooperation between the EU and New Zealand dates back to 1999, with the signing of the ‘Joint Declaration on Relations between the European Union and New Zealand’.

This was replaced in 2007 by the ‘Joint Declaration on Relations and Cooperation’, an updated political declaration which set out a detailed action programme for the EU and New Zealand in areas such as global and regional security, counter-terrorism and human rights, development and economic cooperation, trade, climate change and science and technology. The Joint Declaration also underlined the importance of closer cooperation to further facilitate people-to-people links and to encourage exchanges in higher education.

In June 2018, the European Commission and the New Zealand Government officially launched negotiations for a trade agreement between the EU and New Zealand.

For more information, see:

New Zealand and the EU (European External Action Service).

For further information about Research and Innovation (R&I) cooperation with New Zealand, see:

International R&I cooperation — New Zealand (European Commission)
Roadmap for EU-New Zealand S&T cooperation (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

Participant: Any natural person ordinarily resident in New Zealand or the EU, or any legal person established in New Zealand or the EU having legal personality and having rights and obligations in its own name.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of New Zealand (OJ L 171, 1.7.2009, pp. 28-35)

Council Decision 2009/502/EC of 19 January 2009 on the conclusion on behalf of the Community of the Agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of New Zealand (OJ L 171, 1.7.2009, p. 27)