There are 16,700 kilometers between Europe and Australia – but on Tuesday the two regions of the world came a lot closer. For almost ten years, Australia and the EU had bargained for easier access to each other’s markets. Now the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese approved a comprehensive trade agreement in the Australian capital Canberra. At the same time, they agreed on a new security partnership that is intended to strengthen cooperation in the defense industry between Europe and Australia. Full details of the agreement were not yet known on Tuesday. The contract is still subject to legal review, a process that will take several months.
