Australia to Begin Negotiations on Security and Defence Partnership with EU.

Australia will begin negotiations on a security and defense partnership with the European Union, with discussions expected to conclude "pretty quickly." The partnership aims to enhance cooperation in areas like defense industry, cyber, and counter-terrorism. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the framework is an important step for current and future cooperation.

Australia is set to commence negotiations on a security and defense partnership with the European Union, with discussions expected to conclude "pretty quickly," according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The partnership aims to enhance cooperation in areas such as defense industry, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism.

The announcement comes as part of a broader effort to strengthen Australia's international trade presence and strategic alliances. Albanese met with senior members of the Trump administration to discuss tariffs and other trade issues, but the focus has now shifted to the EU following Trump's swift exit from the G7 summit [1].

The proposed agreement is not legally binding and would not involve troop deployment but is designed to bolster cooperation on global security challenges. It comes amidst ongoing talks on a possible Australia-EU free trade agreement, which could be used in various areas including foreign interference, cybersecurity, and defense industries [1].

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed a desire to expedite the agreement, indicating his support for Australia securing a free trade deal with the EU. Merz and Albanese met on Wednesday (AEST) to discuss the matter, with Merz asking if there is anything he can do to speed up the process [2].

The negotiations on a potential deal began in 2018 but broke down in 2023 over EU geographic indicator rules that would prevent Australian producers from selling products using names linked to specific areas. A successful agreement would require the EU to relax its strict rules on product names, potentially allowing items such as prosecco, feta, and parmesan to be sold under generic names in Europe [2].

Albanese has emphasized that any agreement must be in Australia's national interest. He stated that Australia is prepared to walk away from negotiations if the terms are not favorable, underscoring the country's commitment to protecting its economic and strategic interests [2].

References:

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/jun/18/australia-news-live-albanese-g7-starmer-zelenskyy-critical-minerals-trump-aukus-submarines-chalmers-tax-ntwnfb
[2] https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/german-chancellor-freidrich-merz-asks-anthony-albanese-whether-he-can-help-speed-up-australiaeu-free-trade-agreement/news-story/a622b631e8a5ce3a19e9cec6a9eabde0