A distant European ally. EU and Australia will negotiate a security and defense partnership
On the subject of the planned partnership agreement on defense, the European Commission stated that “it will provide framework for current and future cooperation, including in such areas as the defense industry, cyber security and combating terrorism.”
“Trusted partners must stick together”
Brussels emphasized that the future pact “does not impose obligations in the field of armed forces.”
The decision to start talks on defense was made on the occasion of the G7 summit in Canada, after the meeting of the Chairwoman of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, chairman of the European Council Antonio Costa and the Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese.
“It will open it [zawarcie porozumienia] Doors to joint orders in the field of defense and will benefit both our industry and our security, “Albanese said in a statement.
“In times of growing tensions and strategic competition, trusted partners must stick together,” said von der Leyen in her statement. She added that the EU and Australia are also “involved in continuing negotiations on free trade, because economic security also matters”.
Brussels and Canberra began negotiations on the free trade agreement in 2018, but the talks ended with failure at the last straight in 2023, when the Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell withdrew from negotiations, complaining about the lack of access to the EU market.
However, in connection with the US President Donald Trump's imposition of customs duties all over the world, the agreement between the EU and Australia went down to the background, and the European Commission pointed out in its statement issued at night that “the relations between Australia and Europe gained impetus.”
