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

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2025/2168 28.10.2025 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 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(4), first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Whereas: (1) The Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand(1)(the ‘Agreement’) was concluded by the Union by means of Council Decision (EU) 2024/244(2) and entered into force on 1 May 2024. (2) Article 24.7 of the Agreement requires the Parties to agree at the first meeting of the Trade Committee established by Article 24.1(1) of the Agreement on operational guidelines for the conduct of the Civil Society Forum. (3) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the Trade Committee, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 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 2 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. Done at Luxembourg, 20 October 2025. For the Council The President K. KALLAS (1) OJ L, 2024/866, 25.3.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2024/866/oj. (2) Council Decision (EU) 2024/244 of 27 November 2023 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand (OJ L, 2024/244, 28.2.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/244/oj). ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2168/oj 1/3EN OJ L, 28.10.2025 DRAFT DECISION No …/2025 OF THE TRADE COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BY THE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND NEW ZEALAND of … as regards the adoption of operational guidelines for the conduct of the Civil Society Forum THE TRADE COMMITTEE, Having regard to the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and New Zealand (hereinafter, ‘the Agreement’), and in particular Article 24.7 thereof, Whereas: (1) Article 24.7 of the Agreement requires the Parties to agree at the first meeting of the Trade Committee established by Article 24.1(1) of the Agreement on operational guidelines for the conduct of the Civil Society Forum. (2) The Trade Committee should adopt operational guidelines for the conduct of the Civil Society Forum, HAS ADOPTED 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 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. Done at …, … For the Trade Committee The Co-Chairs 2/3 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2168/ojEN OJ L, 28.10.2025 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. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2168/oj 3/3