European Commission mandated to negotiate air services agreement with New Zealand

The European Council announced that at its meeting on 13 June 2008, chaired by Slovenia, that it granted a mandate to the Commission to negotiate air services agreement with New Zealand and separately Australia:

"In addition, the Council of Ministers conferred a mandate to open negotiations with Australia and New Zealand on the conclusion of comprehensive agreements on air traffic, aiming at closer cooperation between the Community and these two countries. The mandate conferred today includes, for the first time in history, a stronger commitment by this sector to environmental issues; it also enhances cooperation between the EU and the third countries in the area of greenhouse gas emissions."