The Dutch environmental group Both ENDS has lodged a complaint with the European Commission claiming New Zealand has broken the climate commitments in its free trade agreement with the EU, the first complaint of its kind on environmental grounds, Farmers Weekly NZ reports from RNZ.

The group used the EU's Single Entry Point mechanism, which lets European civil society ask the Commission to enforce the sustainability chapters of trade deals. It argues New Zealand breached a non-regression clause barring it from weakening environmental protection to encourage trade or investment, and its commitment to implement the Paris Agreement effectively. Greenpeace, Ngāti Pukenga, Ora Taiao, the Environmental Law Initiative and others support it as co-sponsors.

The complaint describes "a pattern" of decisions since the deal took effect on 1 May 2024, among them a weakened methane target, the removal of agriculture from carbon pricing, the reversal of the offshore oil and gas exploration ban and legislation preventing climate claims against major emitters. It cites an estimated 84-million-tonne emissions shortfall.

Fernando Hernandez Espino of Both ENDS said the group wants compliance, not the suspension of trade benefits, although market access could in the end be lost if a panel finds violations that persist. Two-way trade between New Zealand and the EU was worth about NZ$21.5 billion last year.

Trade Minister Todd McClay said New Zealand "always meets" its international obligations and is compliant with the agreement, calling it "deeply disappointing" that New Zealand organisations had joined "foreign actors". How the country meets its climate obligations is for its own parliament and government to decide, he said.

Photo: MaryvanRossen / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Source: Farmers Weekly NZ