BRUSSELS — Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, is set to visit Australia later this month to finalize a pivotal security and trade agreement. This visit will follow an upcoming meeting in Brussels between European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and his Australian counterpart, Don Farrell, as discussions continue on various aspects of the deal.
Reviving trade negotiations
The trade negotiations between the European Union and Australia have regained momentum after stalling at the end of 2023 due to disputes over beef and lamb quotas. These quotas remain a key point of negotiation, and parties are optimistic about reaching a resolution soon.
Strategic partnerships and mineral access
Von der Leyen’s journey will commence immediately after her participation in the Munich Security Conference, scheduled for February 13-15. According to reports from Australian digital outlet The Nightly, her trip is projected to last four days.
In December, EU member states granted the Commission the authority to negotiate a defense agreement with Australia, indicating a renewed focus on security partnerships that have previously been established with nations such as the U.K., Canada, and India. Such an agreement with Australia would signify a substantial achievement for the EU, granting access to Australia’s vast reserves of strategic minerals, including lithium and copper, where Australia stands as the largest global producer of lithium and holds the second-largest reserves of copper.
However, this anticipated pact may face challenges similar to those encountered during the EU’s controversial Mercosur agreement with South American nations, which faced criticism from farmers and skepticism from various lawmakers. The significant agricultural implications of the upcoming agreement with Australia are likely to elicit similar pushback from certain stakeholders.
“The quotas are still being negotiated between Canberra and Brussels,”
noted a source close to the discussions, illustrating the ongoing complexities of the negotiations.