EU sheepmeat quota lifted

New Zealand's sheepmeat quota to the European Union has been lifted by 1154 tonnes to make up for export losses caused by the introduction of new members to the union last year.

Several new EU members, particularly Malta and Cyprus, imported sheepmeat from New Zealand before they joined the union.

Exports to these countries now come under the EU tariff quota for sheepmeat and goatmeat, which is 226,700 tonnes.

Meat and Wool NZ chairman Jeff Grant said the quota expansion ensured exporters were not worse off than before EU enlargement.

Grant said any outcome of talks on beef access to the EU, which centred on the similar topic of an established trade with the new EU members, had "yet to be confirmed".