EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis met Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan on Tuesday 20 April. The two officials discussed the state of play of the EU-Australia free trade agreement negotiations, which began in 2018, with the 10th round of negotiations held from 9-19 March.
The European Commissioner stressed the importance for the EU of including chapters on sustainable development in the agreement, as well as the need to prioritise substance over timing. Dan Tehan said a few months ago that he wanted to conclude the negotiations this year.
Both leaders acknowledged that efforts were still needed to move the negotiations forward in general.
In the last round of negotiations, progress was made on trade and sustainable development, particularly on multilateral standards on labour rights, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, according to the European Commission’s report. However, the chapter has not been closed and follow-up actions on various provisions have been set.
A few months after the European Commission presented its review of the EU’s trade policy, it is eagerly awaited for the trade and sustainable development chapters in future free trade agreements (see EUROPE 12666/22).
The chapters on customs and trade facilitation and on delivery services, on the other hand, could be closed in the last round of negotiations.
The next round of negotiations is scheduled for June 2021. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)