The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, visited Australia from 23 to 25 March 2026, where she became the first woman leader in Australian history to address a joint sitting of Parliament in Canberra. She and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a new Security and Defence Partnership and announced the conclusion of the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
This was her first trip to Australia as Commission President and the first such visit in over a decade. In her address to the Australian Parliament, she described a more uncertain and challenging global environment and stressed the importance of stronger cooperation with like-minded partners. "The world we live in is brutal, harsh and unforgiving. It feels upside down. What we knew as certainties are in question... Against this backdrop, my visit is not a symbolic trip. What we sign today will unleash a new era of economic and security partnership."
The centrepiece of the visit was the finalisation of the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement, a significant achievement after negotiations that began in 2018. This agreement is expected to strengthen economic ties and supply chain resilience between the two partners, particularly in critical minerals and the green transition. As emphasised by the President herself in a speech to business leaders: "Europe is Australia's third-largest trading partner and second-largest foreign investor. [And] beyond the quantity of our exchanges, it is the quality that matters. Our standards are aligned like no others. But our economic relationship was running on old software. I have come here to change this. With a new mega-deal that can bring our partnership to the next level."
In parallel, the EU and Australia signed a new Security and Defence Partnership. President von der Leyen visited Garden Island Defence Precinct, Sydney's major naval base, where she underlined the global importance of the Indo-Pacific region. She pointed out that the newly formed partnership will bolster the defence industry through manufacturing, scale, and innovation, and will allow for combined military exercises on land and at sea. Most importantly, she emphasised the shared responsibility of democracies to stand together. "As our adversaries adapt to cooperate together, we too must respond together. Because when we stand side-by-side we are stronger."
During her stay, the President also paid tribute at the Australian War Memorial, honouring the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and witnessing the Last Post Ceremony. She conveyed Europe's profound gratitude for the sacrifices Australians made: "From Europe, we remember with gratitude the sacrifice and courage of the many Australians who stood beside us in the long and fragile pursuit of peace and freedom."
President von der Leyen also commended Australia's intention to begin negotiations on association with Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship research and innovation programme starting in 2027, to boost joint work on clean technologies, quantum computing, and other strategic areas. Both leaders underlined that the programme would foster collaboration on shared priorities, such as critical and emerging technologies and climate and energy research, opening up research opportunities for both Australia and Europe and benefiting both economies equally.
During the visit, President von der Leyen held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Albanese encompassing trade, security, critical minerals, and regional stability. She was accompanied by Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič. The programme included engagements with the Australian business community in Sydney, a cultural welcome at Government House featuring a traditional Smoking Ceremony, and a visit to Taronga Wildlife Park.
In the margins of the official engagements, the President reflected on the deepening partnership: "Europe and Australia share the same vision of the world – even though worlds apart. … We believe in the same values. We know we can always trust each other. And we act in unison, side by side. Because progress is forged by the choices we make, and the courage to make them together."
