Dealing in Billions: Tough trade talks with European negotiators who broke the Brits over “Brexit”
- February 14th, 2019
- Posted by EU Australia
Things have come to a push-and-shove stage in talks between Europe and Australia over trade – with the EU’s head man in agriculture taking a tough position in Australia this week.
Lee Duffield caught up with the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development (equivalent to a federal minister), Phil Hogan (picture), and members of his negotiating team on the Gold Coast.
He says European Union officials who got the British in a tight corner over their secession from Europe – committing them to pay Brussels €39-billion (A$62.09) – aren’t backward putting their own interests forward. … Read More »
The President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, is set to visit Australia at the beginning of next month – a visit postponed in 2009 because of troubles at the time in the world economy. 
Changing relations with the Europeans …
Cluster bombs are back under surveillance after the publication of a new report (1.11.10) on efforts to reduce stocks of the weapons globally. 
It’s been a long time coming but as of September this year Australia and Europe have a settled agreement on naming rights and descriptors for their wines.
The deal, struck in Brussels on Monday, will see Australian wine producers having to cease labelling their wines that relate to European Geographical Locations (GLs) and traditional expressions, which the EU sees as a significant marketing advantage in the wine industry.
More money is to go to help European producers rebuild their vineyards for competition against “New World” producers like the Australians.