New Zealand and the United Kingdom have signed a post-Brexit agreement that will survive no matter what terms the UK leaves the European Union with.
But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who visited her counterpart Theresa May in for a working lunch in London overnight, warned of the dangers of a "no-deal" Brexit that May has refused to rule out.
The NZ-UK agreement was signed not by May and Ardern but by UK International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and New Zealand High Commissioner to the UK Jerry Mataparae.
Jacinda Ardern, met UK prime minister Theresa May at her official residence at 10 Downing Street in London.
It is a "mutual recognition agreement" that assures businesses that regulation on things like food safety would stay stable post-deal, meaning exporters used to exporting to the UK as part of the EU would not see much disruption.
"Regardless of the various scenarios that we may find the UK entering into New Zealand businesses can be assured that the same kind of engagement that they have, the same kind of expectations around food safety and regulations that effect our meat products will hold in the UK in the same way they currently do with the EU. That will follow into the UK," Ardern said.
Jacinda Ardern said she had admiration for her British counterpart Theresa May in the face of Brexit negotiations.
"These agreements mean current trade-facilitating arrangements covering the export of products into the EU are maintained with the UK."
It follows a similar deal signed with Australia by the UK in recent days, and is one of 36 planned by the UK. Thus far the United Kingdom has made little progress with the deals.
New Zealand and the European Union do not have a free trade deal, although New Zealand is beginning to negotiate one - alongside a post-Brexit deal with the UK.
NO DEAL WARNING
Ardern said there was a "huge amount of uncertainty over what no deal would mean".
Earlier she told Victoria Derbyshire of the BBC that a no-deal Brexit "would impact on just about everybody, business ... particularly the smaller businesses."
The two prime ministers met NZ and British defence personnel, highlighting the close military links between the two countries.
"I will be very open that a no-deal scenario would be very, very difficult but I sense everybody is of that view."
May has refused to rule out a "no-deal" scenario that would see the UK crash out of the EU with no transitional arrangements or deal on trade.
Ardern said the biggest risk to New Zealand's future trade relationship would be the UK remaining in a customs union with the EU, which would preclude it negotiating its own trade deals.
She said this was discussed very briefly with May and both Prime Ministers do not expect it to happen. May's proposed deal, which has failed in Parliament, does not include customs union membership.
Post-brexit migration rules for Kiwis were also briefly discussed.
"New Zealanders continue to contribute to the UK economy and we welcome large numbers of UK citizens to New Zealand, including on our popular working holiday scheme. I welcomed the recent announcement that New Zealand citizens will soon be able to use e-gates in the UK," Ardern said.
She would attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as well as visiting European Union leaders in Brussels.
Early on Tuesday morning (NZ time, Monday afternoon UK time) Ardern met with May at 10 Downing Street in London.
May had narrowly held on to power, having survived a parliamentary vote of no confidence on Thursday (NZT), which came a day after she suffered a crushing defeat in the House of Commons for her Brexit deal.
Ahead of the visit, Ardern said she would be looking to "underline New Zealand's position as a natural and long-standing partner for the country as it redefines its global role post-Brexit".
She told the BBC that she admired May as she tried to find a Brexit deal.
"It's a difficult game ... she is a woman of remarkable resilience, I have admiration for a number of politicians for what they have to navigate and this is one of those situations," Ardern said.
She said she was "ready and willing" to sign a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK.
"As a very important trading partner for us, at the point the UK is ready to do so, we're very keen to enter into a free trade agreement," she said in the interview.
In Brussels, the prime minister would aim to progress a free trade agreement with Europe and to promote New Zealand business interests there, meeting with President of the European Council Donald Tusk, President of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
"I will be using my engagements to enhance New Zealand's profile as a like-minded partner to the EU across a wide range of issues, including climate change, social policy, trade and our commitment to the rules-based system," Ardern said ahead of the trip.
"There is still much progress to make in trade talks with our European partners, so a key focus of this whole trip is to speak to European Commission and individual country leaders to shore up support for our ongoing negotiations and ensure New Zealand exporters achieve a great deal."