EU-Australia trade deal is 'real winner', says MEP
Ottoline Spearman
The EU and Australia have agreed to a free-trade deal, concluding almost a decade of talks.
The conclusion of negotiations for the agreement was announced Tuesday in Canberra by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ursula von der Leyen, the EU’s top executive.
“This is a comprehensive, balanced and commercially meaningful agreement which will reduce costs for Australian consumers and open new markets for Australian producers,” Albanese told reporters. “It is win-win. It eliminates tariffs on key Australian exports including wine, seafood and horticulture.”
The deal has been welcomed by Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher, who described the deal as "good for both sides" and has said that "it should be supported by all".
"Trade deals of this nature, like the EU-India deal, bring benefits to both sides and recommit participants to a rules-based international order that is consistent, fair and clear," Kelleher said.
Ireland was right to oppose Mercosur for our own particular reasons. I do not believe the same issues arise with the Australian deal - MEP Billy Kelleher
The free-trade deal concludes almost a decade of talks as the two sides push to tighten ties and renew a rules-based order that is under assault from the Trump administration.
Once the text is adopted by the European Council it will need to be signed by both sides and then ratified by their respective parliaments to enter into force, according to a statement from the European Commission.
Kelleher said: “Ireland was right to oppose Mercosur for our own particular reasons. I do not believe the same issues arise with the Australian deal, and I firmly believe there should be no hesitation from the Irish Government when it comes to supporting it in principle as we await full ratification.
“Ireland lives and dies by free and fair trade. We are an open, global trading economy. Deals of this nature are a boon for countries like Ireland.
“Add in the fact that Ireland is without doubt the EU country most closely connected both politically, culturally and soon, economically with Australia, then we are on to a real winner.
Ireland lives and dies by free and fair trade. We are an open, global trading economy. Deals of this nature are a boon for countries like Ireland - Kelleher
Kelleher said he is calling for people to "publicly get off the fence" and "put their money where their mouth is" to support the deal.
“No trade deal is 100 per cent perfect. Both sides need to compromise but the issues that caused me to oppose Mercosur do not apply in this deal.
“I have significantly more confidence in the quality and safety of Australian food products and there is no risk of deforestation or displacement of indigenous populations.”
“It must be full steam ahead. We all need to diversify our markets and protect ourselves from political and economic shocks in our existing export markets,” said Kelleher.
Meanwhile, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee has welcomed announcement.
"The Australian market is an attractive option for Irish exports and this trade deal will deliver areas of tariff reduction that will benefit Irish industry across a wide range of sectors, while also opening the Australian services market to the EU.”
"I am very keen to see the Irish-Australian trade and economic relationship fulfil its potential.
It is estimated that EU exports to Australia will increase by 33 per cent over the next decade, and McEntee said that "Irish companies will be at the heart of this”.
