British News Agency

According to a person familiar with the talks, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to travel to Australia this month to sign a security and trade agreement.

According to a second person, the trip will take place after next week’s meeting in Brussels between EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and his Australian counterpart Don Farrell. Both people requested anonymity as schedules have not yet been finalized.

Talks between the EU and Canberra collapsed at the end of 2023 due to disputes over beef and lamb quotas.

According to the first source familiar with the talks, quotas are still being negotiated between Canberra and Brussels.

Australia’s digital newspaper The Nightly reported that Commission President von der Leyen will travel to Australia on a flight lasting more than 20 hours immediately after attending the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, scheduled for February 13–15.

EU countries last December authorized the Commission to negotiate a defense agreement with Australia. The signing of such an agreement would follow security and defense partnerships concluded with the United Kingdom, Canada, and most recently India.

An agreement with Australia would be a gain for the EU as it would open access to the country’s vast strategic mineral reserves. Australia is the world’s largest producer of lithium and also holds the world’s second-largest copper reserves.

Following the controversial Mercosur agreement with South American countries—criticized by farmers, France, and skeptical lawmakers—the deal with Canberra is also expected to face backlash due to its significant agricultural component.