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Trade
News article17 June 2021BrusselsDirectorate-General for Trade

Commission reports on eleventh negotiating round with Australia

As part of its transparency commitment, the European Commission today published the report summarising progress made during the latest negotiation round for the EU-Australia trade agreement.

The eleventh round of negotiations for an ambitious and comprehensive EU-Australia trade agreement was held virtually from 1 to 11 June 2021.

Negotiators discussed and progressed in most areas of the future agreement, such as services and investment, trade in goods, technical barriers to trade, trade and sustainable development, intellectual property rights including geographical indications, sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

The chapter on professional services was provisionally concluded.

The next negotiation round is planned for autumn 2021.

Background

The EU and Australia launched negotiations for a trade agreement in June 2018. 

The EU is Australia's third largest trading partner (2020). Total trade in goods account for €36 billion in 2020 and total trade in services add another €26 billion in 2019. It is estimated that the agreement could increase EU exports to Australia by up to a third. 

The negotiations aim particularly at:

  • Removing barriers and helping EU firms – especially smaller ones – to export more;
  • Putting European companies exporting to or doing business in Australia on an equal footing with companies from countries with which Australia has signed trade agreements, for instance with China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and United States or in the context of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP);
  • Ambitious provisions on trade and sustainable development, showing a shared commitment to labour rights and environmental protection (including climate change) in trade;
  • Protecting distinctive regional EU food and drink products from imitations in Australia, and;
  • Allowing EU companies to better participate in government procurement in Australia

For more information

Report of the 11th negotiating round
EU-Australia trade
EU-Australia negotiations

Details

Publication date
17 June 2021
Author
Directorate-General for Trade
Location
Brussels
Country or region
Australia
Trade topics
Negotiations and agreements