EU-Australia free trade agreement a boon for EU food and drink makers

FoodDrinkEurope, representing Europe's food and drink industry - the largest
manufacturing industry in Europe - welcomes the conclusion of EU trade negotiations
with Australia. The agreement is expected to improve market access conditions and
unlock export potential for EU food and drink companies in Australia.

Australia is the EU food and drink industry's 11th largest export market, with exports of a wide
range of products reaching nearly €4 billion in 2025.

Upon entry into force, the agreement will eliminate tariffs applied to EU food and drink products upon import into Australia, including:

• Wine, sparkling wine and spirits (current tariffs at 5%)
• Chocolate, sugar confectionery and biscuits (current tariffs at 5%)
• Pasta and cereal food preparations (current tariffs at 5%)
• Canned vegetables (current tariffs at 5%)

In addition, 165 EU agri-food Geographical Indications (GIs) and 231 spirit drinks GIs will be
protected in Australia, covering iconic products such as Comté, Irish Whiskey, Queso
Manchego, Salam de Sibiu. We also welcome the inclusion of an ambitious chapter on
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) matters, aimed at reinforcing cooperation and trade
facilitation. At the same time, we take note of the phased implementation foreseen for certain
GIs, as well as the treatment of sensitive product imports from Australia subject to TRQs and
specific conditions.

We now await the publication of the full legal text, including tariff liberalisation schedules and
implementation timelines, to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the agreement's
impact.