The European Union and Australia have finished negotiating a defence and security pact, reports “Handelsblatt” (Wednesday edition) citing officials involved in the talks.
According to the diplomats, only a signing date remains to be fixed. It could possibly be announced at the same time as a free‑trade agreement that is still being negotiated, the EU representatives said.
In practice, the new pact would allow Australian weapons manufacturers to tap into the €60 billion European Defence Fund that is being used to support Ukraine’s defence needs.
The agreement marks a shift in the EU‑Australia relationship. In 2021, attempts to deepen cooperation collapsed after Canberra insulted France and struck a submarine deal with the United States.
