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Australia has concluded a comprehensive, balanced and commercially meaningful trade agreement with the European Union, consistent with our national interest.
The Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (A-EU FTA) will bring economy-wide benefits to Australia while safeguarding our interests.
Trade remedies
The A-EU FTA maintains Australia's system of trade remedies including anti-dumping and countervailing duties, and global safeguard measures.
There is an additional transitional bilateral safeguard measure that allows either side to suspend preferential treatment under the FTA. This provides an avenue to respond to Australian industry concerns about a potential surge in additional EU imports resulting from the FTA.
Australia's biosecurity
The A-EU FTA does not alter Australia's strict biosecurity requirements or impose new obligations on Australian farmers. Australia's strong biosecurity regime underpins our trusted international reputation for safe, high-quality agricultural products.
Geographical indications
Australia has agreed to establish a new geographical indications (GIs) regime to recognise and protect EU GIs. We defended the rights of Australians to continue to use some commercially and culturally important terms. Where Australia has agreed to protect certain terms – e.g. Feta and Ouzo – we have secured flexibilities such as grandfathering and phase-out periods to help industries adjust.
The new GIs regime will provide new opportunities for Australian producers to establish GIs for their products, so they are protected in Australia and can seek protection overseas. This will add value and enhance the reputation of our own home-grown successes.
Foreign investment
Australia has retained the right to screen EU investments on national interest and national security grounds. There is no investor-state dispute mechanism in the A-EU FTA, reflecting the confidence we share in each other's legal systems.
Digital privacy and consumer protection
The A-EU FTA will support digital trade by creating new opportunities for businesses, consumers and workers.
The A-EU FTA strikes the right balance between enabling the flow of data and the facilitations of electronic transactions while ensuring the protection of personal information and consumers. It sets out principles for the protection of consumers and personal information but does not require Australia to adopt the EU's rules in these areas.
Right to regulate
Australia maintains the right to regulate in pursuit of its own public policy objectives across a range of topics, including public health and safety, biosecurity, the environment, social and consumer protection, privacy and data protection and the promotion and protection of rights and interests of Australia's First Nations peoples.
Government procurement
The A-EU FTA preserves all of Australia's existing exemptions and protections in key public policy areas. This includes measures that benefit small and medium enterprises, First Nations-owned businesses, and health and welfare services.