EU-Australia FTA expected by year's end, says Belgian ambassador
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The news: Belgium's ambassador to Australia expects a free trade deal with the European Union to be settled by the end of the year. The FTA talks stalled in July over disagreements about Australia's access to EU agricultural markets. Ambassador Michel Goffin said there would be "concessions on both sides" in the final agreement.
The numbers: The EU bloc was Australia's third biggest trading partner after China and Japan in 2022, worth $108.8 billion in two-way trade, according to DFAT. Discussions for an Australia-EU FTA began in 2018.
The context: In July the EU and New Zealand successfully signed an FTA, which included protections for regional food and drink names such as feta and Prosecco. Regional names have also been a source of contention during Australia's negotiations.
What they said: "I'm pretty optimistic the FTA will be concluded certainly before the end of this year," Goffin said.
"All in all, there will be concessions on both sides."
The source: AAP
