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Prime Minister John Key - Source: ONE News -
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Prime Minister John Key is set to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss trade on the final leg of his European tour.
While trade talk is on the agenda, TV ONE's Europe correspondent Garth Bray told Breakfast that Key will be mainly be "taking a look around" Europe to see what business opportunities there are for New Zealand.
Bray said Merkel has "a lot on her plate" at the moment with the financial issues dominating Europe and simply wants to know the region has New Zealand's support in the future.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he came into this having been told that there are not great prospects for expanding New Zealand's trade with Europe, this is about a long term strategy for making sure if anything develops we're in there on the ground floor," he said.
"I suspect he'll come away from this meeting with these people really need to get their house in order before we can really make a concerted push into this part of the world because there are so many huge problems dominating Europe at the moment."
Meanwhile, Bray says British Prime Minister David Cameron has been sparring in meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Cameron has led a government that has tried to keep Britain insulated from the issues in Europe, despite Merkel's attempts to create closer union in Europe, according to Bray.
"And perhaps he's been proven right? Because you know, Britain's economy, although it has been struggling, it looks like it's a bit isolated from what's going on in Europe, so perhaps a little satisfaction there for David Cameron."
Yesterday Key told Breakfast he saw a lot of uncertainty in Europe, with some talking "complete doom and gloom" and others more optimistic.
Key's visit included three days in London, as well as time in Hamburg, Berlin, and Brussels.
In Brussels, he will meet with European Parliament representatives and NATO.
He said "the trip will also be a valuable opportunity to give me first-hand information on the issues currently confronting Europe".
The European Union is New Zealand's third largest export market for goods, worth around $5 billion to the economy, Key said.