EU-Australia Joint Statement: FTA Talks Concluded, Cooperation Deepened

European Commission President von der Leyen, European Council President Costa and Australian Prime Minister Albanese met on the margins of the UN General Assembly to review progress in EU-Australia relations since von der Leyen's March 2026 visit to Australia. The three leaders welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive, ambitious, balanced and commercially meaningful Free Trade Agreement and looked forward to its signature as soon as possible; welcomed progress toward Australia's association to the Horizon Europe Programme for 2027; reflected on implementation of the EU-Australia Security and Defence Partnership covering hybrid and cyber threats, foreign information manipul…