Comments attributable to NFF President David Jochinke:
The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) notes comments by the Minister for Trade, the Hon. Don Farrell, that negotiations between the European Union (EU) and Australia on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will resume following the election.
In October 2023, the NFF publicly supported the leadership shown by the Government to walk away from negotiations with the EU, due to the limited market access opportunities for Australian agriculture offered by EU negotiators.
More recently, the NFF has strongly welcomed the Government's considered approach to recent trade disruptions, informed by the principle that liberalised and open trade is the salient driver of global economic growth and stability, and that economic protectionism, in all its various forms, runs counter to this.
We encourage whoever forms the next Government to take this same approach in any future negotiations with the EU.
Recent trade disruptions should not lower the bar of expectations for any deal with the EU, but conversely, highlights the need for a strong agreement that delivers fair access two-way for each country.
An FTA between Australia and the EU is a perfect opportunity for the EU to walk-the-walk with respect to any future leadership role it may play with global trade, by bringing forward a more liberalised deal than the one of 2023.
