Spain

Bilateral relationship

Spain ’s membership of the European Union added the most significant dimension to New Zealand's interest in Spain. This was reflected in the opening of the New Zealand Embassy in Madrid in 1992. Spain recently appointed a new resident Ambassador to New Zealand and the official opening of the Embassy of Spain is scheduled for June 2009.

Spain is currently New Zealand’s 7th largest merchandise export market and 8th largest import market in the European Union. There is room for an increase in economic links (trade, investment, and tourism) and prospects for that are good. Bilateral trade statistics are likely to understate New Zealand’s exports to Spain as a significant proportion are directed through entrepot ports, particularly in the Netherlands, and transhipped to Spain. Our exports to Spain are dominated by agricultural products (mainly fresh fruit, molluscs, sheep meat, and frozen fish), but New Zealand manufacturers and service providers are starting to appreciate the opportunities this large market holds.

Although the level of Spanish investment in New Zealand is very low there is potential for it to increase, particularly in the forest products, food processing and marine industries sectors as well as in relation to creative industries, telecommunications and power.

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Key facts

Geography/Demographics

Land Area - 504,880 square kilometres
Population - 40.45 million (June 2007 estimate)
Capital City  - Madrid
Language  - Spanish (Castilian), Catalan, Galician, Basque

Political

Political system - Constitutional monarchy
National government - Centre-left Socialist Party
National legislature - Council of Ministers headed by the President of the Government (who is also the Prime Minister) - Bicameral Parliament comprising the lower house Congress of Deputies (350 seats, members elected through proportional representation from multimember constituencies) and upper house Senate (208 directly elected members and 51 designated by regions)
Last election - 9 March 2008
Next election due - March 2012
Head of State - King Juan Carlos 1
Head of Government - President of the Government (Prime Minister) José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero

Economic

GDP US$1.153 trillion (2007 est.)
Real GDP growth 3.8% (2007 est.)
Exports US$248.3 billion (2007 est.)
Imports US$359.1 billion (2007 est.)
Main exports Raw materials and intermediate products (excluding energy), consumer goods, capital goods
Inflation - 4.4% (2007 est.)

New Zealand Trade

New Zealand Trade (to year December 2007)
NZ Exports (FOB) - NZ$240.7 million
Main Exports - Fresh fruit, molluscs, frozen fish, sheep meat
NZ Imports (CIF) - NZ$270.6 million
Main Imports - Motor vehicles, olive oil, medicaments

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Visits

Spanish Official Visits to New Zealand

• Spanish Parliamentary Delegation - Led by Speaker of the Senate and including representatives from the major parties, 24-30 July 2005
• Josep Piqué - Minister of Industry and Energy, June 1998
• Dr Sole Tura - Minister of Culture, 1991
• Prince Felipe - Crown Prince of Spain, 1990
• King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia - King and Queen of Spain, June 1988

New Zealand Official Visits to Spain

• Hon Chris Carter - Minister for Ethnic Affairs, January 2008
• Rt Hon Winston Peters - Minister of Foreign Affairs, September 2007
• Hon Annette King - Minister of Transport, June 2007
• Rt Hon Helen Clark- Prime Minister, April 2007
• Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt - Speaker, October 2002
• Hon Phil Goff - Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, May 2002
• Hon Simon Upton - Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, March 1998
• Rt Hon Bill Birch - Minister of Finance, 1994
• H E Dame Catherine Tizard - Governor-General, 1992

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Representation

• The New Zealand Embassy Spain
• The Embassy of Spain in Wellington.

Travel advice

The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Spain [external link].

 

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