The Australian red meat industry says the Federal Government has badly let the sector down, signing an extremely disappointing free trade deal with the European Union that falls far short of what Australia needed and expected.
Australia's red meat industry is devastated that the Federal Government signed an FTA that falls well short of delivering a significant increase in market access, despite repeatedly indicating it would not sign a bad deal.
While the incremental increase in quota access has been noted, the outcome is well below the Australian Government's own objectives [1], let alone stakeholder expectations.[2]
Unfortunately, the deal announced this morning by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen will see the continuation of disproportionately low quotas for red meat, placing Australia at an ongoing competitive disadvantage in the highly valued EU market.
"Australia's red meat sector has been profoundly let down by this outcome," Chair of the Australia–EU Red Meat Market Access Taskforce, Andrew McDonald, said.
"The Australian red meat industry has been crystal clear that the FTA negotiations were the ideal mechanism to finally address the EU's punitive and highly discriminatory import regime.
"Yet the agreement delivers just 30,600 tonnes carcase weight (cwt) of beef access over the next 10 years, when a minimum of 50,000 tonnes (cwt) was required simply to be in line with what the EU has offered our competitors.
"On sheepmeat and goatmeat, the result is equally disappointing: 25,000 tonnes (cwt) over seven years, despite Australian industry requesting a minimum of 67,000 tonnes cwt.
"This stands in stark contrast to New Zealand's access of 163,769 tonnes - which is an outrageous discrepancy.
"To land a deal so far below what other suppliers have secured is genuinely bewildering.
"The agreement is a long way from anything resembling 'free and fair trade', particularly given Australia already provides the EU with quota‑and tariff‑free access for meat products like pork, while the A‑EU FTA locks in perpetual volume constraints on Australian red meat entering the EU.
"This outcome also sits uneasily beside the EU's rhetoric of providing 'a level playing field for all' and its claims that Australia is a 'like‑minded' partner. In practice, this agreement delivers neither fairness nor reciprocity.
"This is unquestionably a missed opportunity for Australia's red meat producers, processors and exporters. It will limit our sector's ability to diversify into a market of 27 countries with strong and ongoing demand for imported meat. It will also deprive most of the EU's 450 million consumers of the chance to choose high‑quality, sustainable Australian red meat products.
"The EU's inability to reform its deeply protectionist trade regime ultimately prevented the delivery of a good deal."
[1] Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement: Objectives
[2] A-EU FTA negotiations must rectify punitive access
Australia–EU Red Meat Market Access Taskforce
The Australia–EU Red Meat Market Access Taskforce is made up of representatives from Australia's red meat supply chain and Australia's red meat Peak Industry Bodies, including: Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC), Australian Livestock Exporters' Council (ALEC), Australian Lot Feeders' Association (ALFA), Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC), Cattle Australia (CA), Goat Industry Council of Australia (GICA) and Sheep Producers Australia (SPA) and industry service providers Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC).
MLA serves as Secretariat to the Taskforce, supporting industry coordination and insights throughout the negotiation process.
