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    Australia and European Union to sign free trade agreement
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    Australia and European Union to sign free trade agreement


    Australia and European Union to sign free trade agreement

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-24/eu-australia-free-trade-agreement-reached/106488438?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other

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    10 Comments

    3. HiccupAndDown on

      Wonder how the media will try and paint this as a bad thing. Can’t give Labor any brownie points.

    4. fluffy_101994 on

      Will be interesting to see how they handle the labour movement proposal, especially given the current political environment both here *and* in the EU.

      It was apparently going to be “FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR FOUR YEARS, PACK YOUR BAGS TOMORROW”, if you believed the media hype.

      It probably won’t be anywhere near that – a small subset of specific professionals and executives, sure. Your average retail worker/allied health worker/suburban accountant/small firm solicitor/tradie? Likely not.

    6. Interesting_Sun on

      I’m curious to see what they did with geographical indicators because if they allow companies who used names like prosecco before a certain date to keep using it domestically but still have to follow the rules when exporting then I can see the EU supporting that but if the deal allows Australian prosecco to be exported to the EU then I can’t see Italy not doing a veto on that haha

    8. iguessineedanaltnow on

      Now get the freedom of movement across the line and we can retire to the Spanish countryside.

    9. CertainCertainties on

      I appreciated that Minister Farrell walked away from the table in the past. (At the meeting in Japan, I believe.) Probably ensured a better and fairer deal.

      The EU, historically, has had a somewhat arrogant attitude to these deals with middle powers, even wanting the restructure of whole industries to EU practices. France, Italy and Greece have been ruthless in particular with agriculture.

      The attitude of the Albanese government has been a free trade agreement with the EU would be nice but not essential. And as their tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers are legendary, the EU has to dismantle some its own protectionism to have free and fair trade with us.

      As we are a resource rich country with critical minerals mining and some processing, the EU is belatedly realising they badly miscalculated in the past. Reliance on Russia, China and the US for resources and critical minerals has caused massive problems for their economies. Trade is being used as leverage and the US humiliated them thoroughly with tariff demands last year. They need more reliable trade partners who keep their word and don’t weaponise trade.

      I welcome the free trade agreement with the EU and congratulate the Albanese government. But our independence will constantly have to be asserted, along with our willingness to cooperate. Those non-tariff barriers (like Germany’s packaging laws) will still sneak in – the EU can’t help themselves.