Webinar | EU–Australia Free Trade Agreement - What it means for businesses

Webinar organised by the French Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FACCI) and the European Australian Business Council (EABC) with the support of other European partners Speakers: Jerome Fournand (General Manager at French-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) Jason Collins (Chief Executive Officer of European Australian Business Council) Dr Prue Gordon (Executive Director of Australian Centre for International Trade and Investment - ACITI) Andres Reis (Partner, Business Services at BDO Australia) Caragh Johnson (Director of Policy & Institutional Affairs at European Australian Business Council) The EU–Australia Free Trade Agreement represents a landmark development in trade relations between Europe and Australia. Following the conclusion of negotiations, announced during European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's visit to Australia, the process is now entering its critical ratification and implementation phase. For European businesses operating in Australia, this Agreement carries significant practical implications from market access and regulatory alignment to customs, workforce mobility, and broader operational conditions. Understanding how to navigate and leverage the FTA effectively will be essential to capturing its commercial benefits. Index Why This Agreement Matters (00:07:00–00:18:05) Ratification Process and Timeline (00:14:14–00:17:29) Key Business Opportunities — Seven Practical Outcomes (00:19:44–00:27:42) The 5% Tariff — Practical Business Implications (00:28:27–00:32:52) Non-Tariff Barriers and Implementation Gaps (00:33:08–00:38:38) Mobility and Talent (00:38:45–00:42:47) FTA as a Platform for Broader Regulatory Cooperation (00:43:09–00:50:04) Horizon Europe — Research and Innovation (00:57:01–01:01:19) Investor Protections — Absence of ISDS (01:01:19–01:02:15) Closing Priorities — What Must Happen Next (00:50:22–00:56:12) Summary The webinar brought together five experts to help businesses move from awareness of the EU–Australia FTA to practical action ahead of its expected entry into force. Jason Collins opened by stressing both the deal's significance and its fragility: after 7.5 years of negotiations delayed by COVID, AUKUS, and an agricultural impasse, the agreement is concluded but not yet ratified, and business advocacy to both parliaments is urgently needed. Prue Gordon then unpacked seven concrete outcomes for businesses: a raised FIRB investment threshold, an Innovation Mobility Pathway for researchers, simplified rules of origin, expanded government procurement access, binding digital trade commitments, a higher Luxury Car Tax threshold for EVs, and — overarchingly — greater geopolitical certainty for bilateral trade. Andres Reis grounded the discussion in client reality, showing how even the simple 5% tariff elimination plays out differently depending on whether a business uses it to boost margins, cut prices, invest in market share, or unlock previously unviable product lines. The panel then turned to what the FTA does not fix: professional licensing (regulated at state level and by professional bodies, not the federal government), standards alignment (CE marking not yet accepted as equivalent), and TGA approvals for medical products. On mobility, the panel was honest: no new visa categories are created; the value is locking in existing access against future reversals. Jason Collins broadened the view, arguing the FTA should be used as a platform for proactive regulatory dialogue, particularly on AI governance. Caragh Johnson added that it also catalyses double taxation treaty updates and, combined with the Security and Defence Partnership, opens EU clean tech and defence procurement to Australian companies. The webinar closed with a recent announcement: Australia had concluded negotiations to associate with Horizon Europe (EU's research programme), opening it to all Australian researchers and industry from 2027. Speakers described this as transformational for research commercialisation.