Office of Global Trade Negotiations (OTN)

In addition to outcomes under the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (A-EU FTA), Australia also negotiated updates to the Wine Agreement, including protection of additional wine geographical indications (GIs), such as Prosecco, with the EU.

What are the next steps to finalise the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement.

The Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (A-EU FTA) will open new opportunities for Australians to export their world-class goods and services to the European Union (EU) market of around 450 million consumers. The EU is the world's second largest economy with a GDP of about $30 trillion.

A geographical indication (GI) is a term showing that a good comes from a specific place and has qualities or reputation essentially due to its origin. For example, Champagne for sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France.

Australia has concluded a comprehensive, balanced and commercially meaningful trade agreement with the European Union, consistent with our national interest.

Under the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (A-EU FTA), Australia will protect 56 EU dairy geographical indications (GIs), including 53 cheeses, 2 butters, and 1 cream.

Grandfathering means no change for existing users of a term. Existing Australian producers (called 'prior users') can continue to use a 'grandfathered' EU geographical indication (GI) term on their labels under the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (A-EU FTA).

Phasing out is discontinuing the use of a term to describe a product over a period of time. Phasing out generally only applies to using terms that Australia has agreed to protect as geographical indications (GIs) in the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (A-EU FTA).

Australia and the EU are likeminded partners, with high standards on labour rights and gender equality. The Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (A-EU FTA) includes a range of legally-binding commitments to help ensure that our trade and investment reflect these high standards.

The Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (A-EU FTA) delivers commercially significant outcomes for Australian manufacturers and other industrial goods producers. It will diversify and expand trade to the valuable high income EU market of around 450 million people.