A top-ranking European Union official has said the proposed $10bn-a-year trade deal with Australia is about more than removing tariffs, describing it as part of a broader discussion about Australia’s role in the world.
The agreement with Brussels has been presented as carrying significance beyond its direct economic value, with the official emphasising its wider strategic importance.
At the centre of the deal are plans to scrap tariffs, but the EU official said its meaning extended further than changes to the terms of trade between Australia and the European bloc.
