Australian trade minister flies to Brussels for free trade talks

Australia’s Trade Minister Don Farrell is traveling to Brussels for talks with European Union counterparts aimed at reaching a free trade accord. 

Senator Farrell will engage in advance discussions on an agreement and meet the European Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, as well as the EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, according to a statement from the Australian government.

“Concluding an ambitious trade deal between like-minded partners is important at a time of mounting geo-political uncertainty,” Farrell said in the statement. “Negotiations remain difficult and have reached a point where issues vital to Australia’s national interest must be improved.”

The EU was Australia’s fourth-largest trade partner in 2022, accounting for $61.6 billion, or 8.4% of total trade, according to data from the International Monetary Fund. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will also be in Europe in the coming week, traveling to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday before going to Vilnius, Lithuania, to attend the NATO Leaders Summit, the Australian government said in a separate press release.