After an often acrimonious relationship over more than half a century, Australia and the European Union have signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
During a visit to Canberra by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the FTA has come to fruition after many years of negotiations and stalled talks. It marks a major step forward in economic relations between Australia and the EU, a market of 450 million people.
Such an agreement had not always been on the cards with Australia’s key trading partner, as pointed out by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in his welcome to von der Leyen.
Rather, there were decades during which the possibility of a free trade agreement would have been considered unattainable. Although much of the friction between Australia and the EU was about access for agricultural goods to the EU single market, particularly beef and lamb, there was also considerable antipathy expressed by many Australian politicians to the EU. This was based in part on the fact the EU was considered protectionist and counter to Australia’s interests.
