BRUSSELS, June 30 —The European Union and New Zealand have completed negotiations to create a free trade agreement that could boost trade between the two partners by 30 per cent, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today.

Free trade negotiations begin in mid-2018 and, for the EU, are designed to put the bloc's trade relations with New Zealand on a par with countries that already have a trade agreement with New Zealand, notably those of the 11-nation CPTPP Asia-Pacific deal. — Reuters