Council Decision (EU) 2025/2168 of 20 October 2025 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Trade Committee established by the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand as regards the adoption of operational guidelines for the conduct of the Civil Society Forum

• CELEX: Decision (EU) 2025/2168
• Articles: 5

Article 1

The position to be taken on the Union's behalf within the Trade Committee established by the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand on a decision to be taken, in accordance with Article 24.7 thereof, as regards the adoption of operational guidelines for the conduct of the Civil Society Forum shall be based on the draft Decision of the Trade Committee attached to this Decision.

Article 1

The operational guidelines of the Agreement’s Civil Society Forum, as set out in the Annex, are hereby adopted.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

This Decision is drawn up in duplicate in the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish languages, each text being equally authentic.

Schedules & Appendices

ANNEX OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR THE CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM UNDER THE EU-NEW ZEALAND FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

ANNEX

OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR THE CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM UNDER THE EU-NEW ZEALAND FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

These operational guidelines for the Civil Society Forum (‘the Guidelines’) provide a framework for the operation of the Civil Society Forum established under Article 24.7 of the EU-NZ Free Trade Agreement (‘the FTA’).

1.    Participants

Each Party will apply its own rules and practices on the registration of participants in the Civil Society Forum to promote a balanced representation of civil society organisations established in its territory.

The participants will be able to attend the Civil Society Forum meeting in-person or by virtual means. The Parties may jointly decide to hold the meeting entirely virtually.

2.    Timing and organisation

The Party hosting that year’s Trade Committee will be responsible for organising and hosting the Civil Society Forum.

Officials from the host Party will provide the secretariat function and the host Party will bear expenses associated with hosting, including the venue and facilitating the meeting. The host Party will not be responsible for meeting any participants’ costs. Where the Civil Society Forum is held in person, the host Party will be responsible for facilitating virtual participation as appropriate.

Where possible, the Civil Society Forum will be held at a time that enables involvement of participants from both New Zealand and the European Union.

3.    Agenda and summaries

Each Party will endeavour to consult their respective Domestic Advisory Group on possible agenda items before the Parties finalise the draft agenda.

The agenda should include a presentation on the latest FTA implementation-related updates as well as an open discussion on the topics raised by the participants.

The Party hosting the Civil Society Forum will prepare a draft agenda. Once the agenda is finalised between the Parties, the Parties will endeavour to publish the agenda at least 15 days before the date of the Civil Society Forum meeting.

The host Party will draft a summary of the Civil Society Forum discussion in consultation with the other Party, within 30 days after the date of the Civil Society Forum meeting. The summary will be made publicly available.

The Parties will periodically review the Guidelines ahead of the Trade Committee being convened, and may decide to amend the Guidelines by agreement at the Trade Committee.