Australia and the EU: From Trade Tensions to FTA Negotiations

Abstract

The chapter examines the progress towards—and during—EU-Australia FTA negotiations. These negotiations have not been conducted in a vacuum. Both domestic preferences, often prompted by geo-economic pressures, and global changes have influenced current dynamics and the design of the agreement. In assessing the current FTA negotiations, the chapter identifies the geo-economic motivations for an FTA, on both sides, noting that the opening of FTA negotiations has been influenced by parallel initiatives in the Asia-Pacific by both interlocutors. We argue that, alongside coordination and cooperation, there remains some competition and conflict, with significant divergence on geographic indications..