Despite the difficulties, the parties to the negotiation of an EU-Australia free trade agreement remain committed to an “ambitious and comprehensive agreement”, the European Commission related in a report published at the end of October.
In Shanghai on 6 November, EU Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström and Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan will continue these discussions with Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham.
Led by their chief negotiators, the teams met from 14 to 18 October for a fifth round of talks since their launch in June 2018.
The parties discussed the first market access offers exchanged. Australia hopes that the EU will agree to lift its tariffs on industrial products, in particular minerals and metals, wood and paper and chemicals.
An even more sensitive issue, Canberra wants to improve the EU's tariff quotas on a range of sensitive agricultural products, such as beef and sheep meat, sugar, cheese and rice.
Discussions on the bilateral safeguard clause procedure have progressed, the text states.
The discussions on geographical indications (GIs), pushed by the EU, included questions relating to the ongoing opposition procedure of the list of European GIs in Australia.
In the context of discussions on technical barriers to trade, the EU hopes that the ‘Vehicle’ Annex will focus on regulatory convergence on engines: the cleanest European cars do not have access to the Australian market due to the very low quality of petrol consumed in the oceanic country.
The negotiations on the Trade and Sustainable Development Agreement have also provided an opportunity for the EU to highlight the importance of the ratification and full implementation of all core International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, as well as the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement by both parties.
Some parts of the final text have already been agreed; exchanges of bids on public procurement and investment are expected to take place before the next round, scheduled for February 2020. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)