Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with Australia

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details (2017) 472 final
Publication Date 18/06/2018
Content Type

Summary:

The European Commission adopted on 13 September 2017 a Recommendation for a Council Decision on launching talks with Australia for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The European Parliament's plenary session approved a resolution on 26 October setting its guidelines on the negotiating mandate, which was adopted by the Council of the European Union on 22 May 2018. The negotiations were launched on 18 June.

Further information:

At the time of this proposal, the European Union did not have a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Australia. This country was to date one of only six World Trade Organisation members without preferential access to the EU market.

The objective of this proposal is to create more favourable conditions for further increasing trade and investment between Australia and the European Union.

The EU's High Representative for Foreign Policy and Australia's Foreign Minister highlighted in April 2015 the need to further strengthen the bilateral trade and investment relationship. This was followed by the Joint Statement of 15 November 2015 by the leaders of the EU and Australia agreeing to commence work toward the launch of negotiations for an FTA.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2017:472:FIN
Related Links
EUR-Lex: SWD(2017)292: Impact assessment http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2017:292:FIN
EUR-Lex: SWD(2017)293: Executive summary of the impact assessment http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2017:293:FIN
EP: Legislative Observatory: Recommendation to the Council on the proposed negotiating mandate for trade negotiations with Australia http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil-mobile/fiche-procedure/2017/2192(INI)
European Parliament: Press Release, 26.10.17: Parliament sets guidelines for trade talks with Australia and New Zealand http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20171020IPR86554/
SBS News, 03.11.17: Canada a blueprint for EU-Aust trade http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/11/03/canada-blueprint-eu-aust-trade
The Independent, 26.10.17: EU plans to trade ‘much’ more with Australia and New Zealand after Brexit http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brexit-trade-deal-eu-australia-new-zealand-european-parliament-vote-meps-a8020716.html
[Opinion] EUObserver, 30.10.17: Going south? EU and Australia/New Zealand deal https://euobserver.com/opinion/139699
EPRS: Briefing, October 2017: EU-Australia free trade agreement. Moving towards the launch of talks http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2017)608757
EPRS: At a Glance, October 2017: FTA talks with Australia and New Zealand http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2017)608772
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 22.05.18: Council gives the go-ahead to trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/05/22/council-gives-the-go-ahead-to-trade-negotiations-with-australia-and-new-zealand/
The Guardian, 22.05.18: EU talks with Australia and New Zealand deal blow to UK free trade plans https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/may/22/eu-trade-talks-australia-new-zealand-brexit-commonwealth
SBS News, 23.05.18: EU, Australia to begin drafting free trade deal https://www.sbs.com.au/news/exclusive-eu-australia-to-begin-drafting-free-trade-deal
[Opinion] UK: Department for International Trade, 24.05.18: We support EU’s trade negotiations as well as our own https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/we-support-eus-trade-negotiations-as-well-as-our-own
EPRS: Initial Appraisal of a European Commission Impact Assessment, February 2018 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/615648/EPRS_BRI(2018)615648_EN.pdf
Legislative Train: EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement http://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-a-balanced-and-progressive-trade-policy-to-harness-globalisation/file-eu-australia-fta
EPRS: At a Glance, June 2018: FTA negotiations to start with Australia and New Zealand http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/de/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2018)623539
European Commission: Press Release, 22.05.18: Commission welcomes green light to start trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-3881_en.htm
European Commission: Press Release, 18.06.18: EU and Australia launch talks for a broad trade agreement http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-4164_en.htm
Council of the European Union: Press Release, 25.06.18: Trade with Australia and New Zealand: negotiating directives made public https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/06/25/trade-with-australia-and-new-zealand-negotiating-directives-made-public/

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