Australia, EU Restart Trade Talks in Bid to Break FTA Deadlock

Australia and the European Union will resume talks on a free trade agreement on Thursday after negotiations broke down in July amid disagreements over market access for Australian agricultural exports.

Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell and EU Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis will hold talks via teleconference in an attempt to bridge the gap in the two sides’ positions, Farrell’s office said Thursday. The stalemate in talks dashed hopes to have the free trade agreement finalized by the middle of the year.

Trade in goods between the EU and Australia accounted for €56.4 billion ($62.1 billion) last year and talks to strike ...