Focus
25/03/13 - EU/NZ Joint Announcement at the Pacific Energy Summit
Commissioner Piebalgs and Minister McCully have agreed today to work together to turn our pledges into joint work, hand-in-hand with our partners in the region, to rapidly deliver real projects on the ground providing renewable electricity to citizens.
15/03/13 - EU Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, to address Auckland business
The New Zealand Europe Business Council is hosting a luncheon in Auckland on 25 March at which European Union Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, will address the Auckland business community. Commission Piebalgs is co-host with the New Zealand government of the Pacific Energy Summit which runs in the city from 24 to 26 March.
29/01/13 - European Union and New Zealand Government co-host the Pacific Energy Summit 2013
The European Union and New Zealand Government together will host the Pacific Energy Summit in Auckland from 25-27 March
08/03/13 - International Women's Day
Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, issued a statement on International Women's Day, 8 March 2013
28/01/13 - EU Cyber Security Strategy – open, safe and secure
A free and open Internet is at the heart of the new Cyber Security Strategy by the High Representative Catherine Ashton and the European Commission. The new Communication is the first comprehensive policy document that the European Union has produced in this area. It comprises internal market, justice and home affairs and the foreign policy aspects of cyberspace issues.
19/12/12 - EU Children of Peace initiative
European Commission President Barroso announced the Nobel Peace Prize projects to help 23,000 children affected by war and conflicts. The Peace Prize money was approx 930,000 euros, which will be topped up to 2 million euros by the EU, and will go to funding access to basic education and child-friendly spaces for: around 4,000 Syrian refugee children in camps at the border between Iraq and Syria; more than 5,000 Colombian children, most of them refugees in Ecuador; 11,000 Congolese children displaced in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and refugees in Ethopia; and 3,000 Pakistani children in the conflict-affected north of the country.
01/11/12 - Helga Schmid in New Zealand
Helga Schmid, Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs in the EU's European External Action Service, has concluded her visit to New Zealand, from 8-9 November.
Ms Schmid is a highly experienced diplomat. She is currently deeply involved in the international negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue, which the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton conducts on behalf of the E3+3 group (US, Russia, China, France, UK and Germany) and has in the past year represented the EU in the Middle East Peace Process Quartet.
She gave a public talk on the European Union's response to security challenges in its neighbourhood and Asia. It can be read here 
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01/11/12 - 2012: The EU in Asia Year
The upcoming Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) will be held in Laos, 5-6 November 2012 with the theme: "Friends for Peace, Partners for Prosperity". Established in 1996, the key regional dialogue is made up of the 27 member states of the EU, the EU itself, members of ASEAN+3, as well as India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and Russia. This meeting will be particularly important, as 2012 is the year of the EU in Asia, where Europe seeks to align itself more closely with the region, on economic, political and social grounds. 50 out of 51 participant countries are attending the upcoming talks. Participants also include EU representatives President Van Rompuy and President Barroso.
25/09/12 - Thoughts from the European in Residence
Every year, the European Union Centres Network invites to New Zealand a distinguished EU practitioner. This year, Sir Michael Leigh toured the country from 7-18 September. Until a year ago, he was the Director-General of DG Enlargement and prior to that, Deputy Director-General for External Relations.
20/08/12 - Top EU diplomat to visit New Zealand
David O'Sullivan, the Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service (the European Union's diplomatic service), will visit Wellington this week, on 22-24 August. Prior to joining the EEAS, Mr O'Sullivan served in the European Commission as Director-General for Trade from 2005-2010 and as Secretary-General from 2000-2005. While in the country, Mr O'Sullivan will be sharing information and views on global events and regional developments, such as Syria, Iran and across Asia and the Pacific.
24/07/12 - Framework Agreement Negotiations Launched with New Zealand
The first round of negotiations towards a Framework Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand was held on 23 & 24 July 2012 in Wellington, New Zealand. Framework Agreements are a tool that establishes a permanent legal basis for the future bilateral relationship between the European Union and the partner country. They cover all areas where the countries have dealings with each other. The EU already has a Framework Agreement with Korea and is currently negotiating FAs with Australia, Canada and India. This first Round was an opportunity to exchange initial views on the Agreement's potential content. The next talks will be later this year in Brussels.