The Australian red meat sector wants an agreement with the EU, but it must be substantive, with real access and no strings attached.
That was the message from Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) General Manager of Trade Sam Munsie.
Mr Munsie joined colleague Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Global Manager for Trade Andrew McCallam on stage at the Meat Processing and Export Conference (MPEC) to dissect global trade issues from a local perspective.
He said Australia wants an agreement with the EU and there’s a “real benefit” for an EU Free Trade Agreement, but it must be beneficial for the local red meat sector.
“The Trade Minister told us last week that he is expecting a call from his European counterparts this week,” he said.
“If some of the (EU) messages shift – and they are not going to come back to us with what we had last time – then great, let’s have the discussion.”
Mr McCallam told the 350-strong MPEC crowd that the industry would work with the Australian Government to secure a trade agreement with the EU, which will most likely serve the industry for the next 50 years.
However, he said negotiations still had a way to go.
“I’ve noticed in some of the meetings over the last couple of days, the EU were complaining about 20 per cent tariffs that Trump put on,” he said.
“We’ve been paying 20 per cent tariffs on Australian beef into the EU for the last 50 years, so the EU has a long way to go to show that they are serious about doing a Free Trade Agreement with Australia.”
MPEC is Australia’s premier red meat export and processing conference and runs across two days on the Queensland Gold Coast.
-ENDS-
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jemma Harper
General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Australian Meat Industry Council
0429 040 128 / jharper@amic.org.au
