Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Australia is exploring deeper EU ties following Canada's lead amid trade disputes with the US.
Australian trade minister Don Farrell said Canberra is "on the same page" as Canada and will watch Prime Minister Mark Carney's EU efforts closely. Canada is exploring a "unique alliance" with the EU, potentially allowing free movement of goods, services, and workers in AI, energy, defense, and critical minerals, plus shared infrastructure projects. Australia signed an EU free trade agreement in March after eight years of talks, removing tariffs on almost all goods. Farrell said he is open to all options but noted fiber-optic cables are impractical given distance.
What commenters are saying
Commenters largely see Australia's approach as pragmatic, not bold. One top comment describes Australia as an "equal opportunist whore" open to business with anyone, adding that there's "little constitution at the top here to make such a bold move." Another notes Australia is interested in reducing trade barriers, not political union, and benefits from free trade due to its low-cost primary production. A reply characterizes this as the sensible "cost effective" approach, while another commenter contrasts India's similar multipolar strategy.