14 hours ago
Albo downplays trade deal breakthrough
Anthony Albanese says he will not be afraid to walk out on renewed negotiations to secure a lucrative free trade agreement with the European Union.
The Prime Minister said while he expected progress to be made, no deal would be reached at his upcoming meeting with the heads of the European Union and European Council.
The push for Australia to have better access to European markets comes as Donald Trump has threatened 50 per cent reciprocal tariffs if US negotiations with the EU fall through. As it stands, the levy on EU imports is set at 10 per cent, and the EU has until July 9 to confirm a deal.
However, despite renewed efforts for an EU-Australian free trade agreement, previous roadblocks around strict geographical indication rules that would prevent Australian producers from using names tied to a European region like prosecco, feta and parmesan, plus low import quotas on beef, lamb, dairy products and sugar, remain.
Speaking ahead of a trilateral meeting with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa on Wednesday morning (AEST), Mr Albanese said that while he expected talks would 'advance the issues that Australia has put forward,' he would only green light a deal that was 'in Australia's national interest'. Anthony Albanese said there was progress on rules that would prevent Australian producers from selling feta and parmesan in European markets. NewsWire/ Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia
Ms von der Leyen is also expected to visit Australia in the coming months in a positive sign for a successful outcome.
'One of those is about naming, and there's been some constructive discussion there. The second is access, particularly for beef and sheep meat, to the European markets. That has been something that has been an impediment previously to the finalisation of any agreement,' Mr Albanese told reporters on Monday.
He added that negotiations being abandoned in 2023 due to issues around product names and import limits showed that Australia was 'serious' about protecting its national interests.
'I think that the fact that during the last term we had negotiations and then we walked away is important because what that does is confirm that we are prepared to walk away,' he said.
'Whether it's this or any other agreement, for that matter, my job is to represent Australia's national interest.
'We will do that, but I wouldn't expect that we'll finalise it here (at the G7), but that we will build on the constructive discussions that Senator (Don) Farrell, our (trade) minister had in Europe just a week ago.'
Following his meetings in Paris earlier this month, Senator Farrell said there was 'a lot of goodwill' in reaching a deal.
'You know, there's 450 million people, trillions of dollars of GDP in Europe. We've got lots of things that we can sell to the Europeans. I believe now that there's an appetite to reach an agreement on both sides,' he said.
'The world has changed. Those countries that believe in free and fair trade have to work together, and I'm very confident that with a little bit of time, a little bit of hard work on our part … we can get there and we can strike an agreement.'
While the Coalition has in principle supported a free-trade agreement, opposition trade spokesman Kevin Hogan urged Labor to 'play pretty hardball' on EU geographical indications.
'For our people like our prosecco producers, our feta producers, and a lot of others, this is a big deal,' Mr Hogan said.
National Farmers Federation president David Jochinke has also previously backed a free-trade agreement; however, he said the settings needed to be more 'liberalised' than the deal put forward in 2023 when talks were last scuttled.
'This is a once-in-a-generation deal. It must be fair, it must be future-focused, and it must deliver for Australian agriculture,' Mr Jochinke said.
'The Albanese government has stood firm in defending the principles of free trade in recent times, and Australian agriculture stands firmly with them.' Trade Minister Don Farrell appeared positive that Australia could achieve a free-trade agreement. NewsWire/ Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia
Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black said a silver lining from Mr Trump's tariff policies was the global push for bilateral relationships to boost economic opportunities. However he added that while a deal with the EU was a 'real possibility,' the settings needed to be right.
'There is a strong push now for stronger relationships and better bilateral arrangements between Australia and the EU in the same way that there is a strong push for a stronger relationship and better economic opportunity between Australia and India,' he told NewsWire.
'These are all good examples of how we should be looking to engage more to secure greater access for Australian exporters.'
