The Albanese government’s stalled trade deal with the European Union is “a surprise and a disappointment” to the trading bloc’s leadership, said a top visiting commissioner who urged Labor to “re-engage and get back to the negotiating table”.

In a series of blunt remarks, EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said failure to address barriers such as tariffs on imported cars, chemicals and machinery would hurt Australia’s economy and undermine its clean energy transition while intensifying reliance on a small group of export partners such as Japan and South Korea.