EU-Australia Business Luncheon with H.E. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, NSW Parliament House, Sydney, Wednesday 25 March 2026
It is a privilege to offer sincere thanks on this landmark occasion.
Today is about more than finalising the successful conclusion of negotiations for a trade agreement.
It marks a shared decision by Australia and the European Union to enter a new phase in our relationship – one defined not by distance, but by shared interests in prosperity, security, innovation and resilience.
To the European Commission, and to you, President von der Leyen, thank you for your vision and your unwavering belief in the power of collaboration.
You have championed a model of engagement that looks beyond trade in goods alone – towards a future built on shared discovery, mutual respect and global leadership.
To the Australian Government, thank you for your resolve and foresight. In finalising this Free Trade Agreement and fast-tracking association with Horizon Europe, you have made a generational investment in Australia’s research and innovation future.
You have sent a clear message that Australia is ready to lead, to work with trusted partners, and to play a serious role in tackling global challenges.
It has taken time, and no small measure of goodwill – almost matching the distance between Australia and Europe. But that distance has never weakened the determination to reach the right outcome.
I would also like to offer special thanks to His Excellency Gabrielle Visentin, Ambassador of the European Union to Australia, for his tireless advocacy and steadfast commitment to strengthening the Australia-EU relationship.
Your leadership and persistence have been instrumental in bringing us to this moment.
Taken together, these agreements represent a coherent and forward looking partnership. They strengthen economic ties, deepen collaboration, and embed research and innovation at a scale that matters.
They create real opportunities for researchers, industry and communities
For the Group of Eight – which invests $10billion annually into R&D and undertakes around 70 per cent of Australia’s university research – this moment matters deeply.
For many years, we have argued that Australia’s economic relationship with Europe should be built around knowledge exchange – creating genuine knowledge trade routes between our two regions.
Today, that ambition becomes reality.
In a world marked by increasing uncertainty and a more precarious geostrategic environment, partnerships matter more than ever.
We need to work with partners who share our values and our belief that knowledge and innovation are central to long term prosperity and resilience.
These agreements are a testament to that trust.
To all those, on both sides of the world, who have worked tirelessly to bring us to this point: thank you.
Your efforts have laid the foundation for a partnership that will strengthen our economies, benefit our societies and inspire the next generation of innovators.
This is a future made in Australia – and made with Europe.
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