The European Union will consider a free trade agreement with New Zealand, Prime Minister John Key says.
The presidents of the European Commission and European Council agreed to consider a deal after talks with Key in The Hague, Radio New Zealand reported.
Key said New Zealand had been struggling to make progress in free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the EU for a very long time.
"That puts New Zealand in an unusual position because there are only six countries who are part of the World Trade Organisation who are either not in negotiations or haven't negotiated an FTA with Europe," he told Radio New Zealand.
Any deal would eliminate the costs New Zealand businesses pay to sell goods in Europe, Key said.