Benefits for consumers

Australian consumers and businesses will benefit from the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (A-EU FTA) through the elimination of Australia's existing 5 per cent tariffs, except some steel products. This includes tariff elimination on a range of goods imported from the EU, such as automotives, industrial equipment, cosmetics, apparel and food.

Australian consumers and businesses stand to benefit through improved access to a wider variety of high quality and competitively priced goods and services, new technologies and innovative practices.

Minimising barriers to trade while protecting consumers

Australian consumers and businesses will benefit from commitments that aim to minimise unnecessary barriers to trade related to product standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures, while maintaining consumer protections.

The A-EU FTA will reinforce Australia's high safety and quality standards, while maintaining our ability to regulate in the best interests of the community.

Australia and the EU will also cooperate on market surveillance, compliance and the safety of non-food products.

Reinforcing high labour, climate, and environmental standards

The A-EU FTA will reinforce international commitments on climate change, environment, workers' rights and labour standards.

Australia and the EU will cooperate on environmental issues affecting supply chains, including illegal logging, illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing; and responsible management of products entering supply chains.

Digital trade benefits for consumers

The A-EU FTA will help create a safer online environment, including provisions to protect personal information, increase online consumer trust and to limit unsolicited commercial electronic messages (spam).

Lower-cost supply chains

At entry into force, 97.2 per cent of the value of EU's exports will enter Australia duty-free, rising to 99.5 per cent upon full implementation after 7 years, which will assist making products imported from the EU cheaper for Australian consumers.