On Monday 7 August, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop signed the EU-Australia Framework Agreement in Manila, Philippines, on the sidelines of the regional forum of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Negotiations for this agreement began in December 2011 and were concluded on 5 March 2015 when the agreement was initialed. The agreement will guide future relations between the two parties. According to a press release from the European External Action Service, the framework agreement will enable the EU and Australia "to tackle challenges in foreign and security policy, sustainable development, climate change, and economic and trade matters". "It will encourage closer links between leaders across government, business and civil society", the press release adds.
The framework agreement will complement work towards launching negotiations for a free trade agreement (see EUROPE 11764). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)