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Story: Overseas trade policy

New Zealand trade with the EEC

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When Britain became a full member of the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973 New Zealand lost access to its traditional market. However, through the Luxembourg agreement, reached in 1971, Britain secured a special arrangement for New Zealand’s butter, cheese and lamb trades to new markets in the EEC. The deal was for a limited period, and had to be revisited, but it did buy New Zealand time to diversify its products and to develop new markets.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: Statistics New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Chris Nixon and John Yeabsley, Overseas trade policy – New Zealand, Britain and the EEC, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/21984/new-zealand-trade-with-the-eec (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Chris Nixon and John Yeabsley, published 12 April 2010.