Overview
- A Brussels meeting next Thursday is slated between EU commissioners Maros Šefčovič and Christophe Hansen and Australia’s trade minister Don Farrell to settle beef import quotas.
- The EU is holding to a 30,000‑ton duty‑free beef quota while Australia seeks 40,000 tons per year, with farm groups warning on beef, lamb, sugar and rice access.
- January saw two major EU deals concluded within ten days, with the India pact drawing little backlash while the Mercosur text faces legal review and farmer opposition.
- The EU‑India agreement cuts more than 90% of applied tariffs and the Commission projects EU exports to India could double by 2032, with broader cooperation on security and innovation.
- Europe is accelerating Asia‑Pacific outreach for critical materials and market access, advancing an Indonesia nickel deal targeted for possible 2027 implementation and deepening work with Australia on rare‑earths processing.