Free-trade deal too important to fail on feta and prosecco: Anthony Albanese to EU

Anthony Albanese, now in Rome, will press Europe to give way on Australian producers' use of feta cheese and prosecco wine names as he revives free-trade talks, which have failed before on farm issues.

European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who will meet on Sunday. Pictures: AFP

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Anthony Albanese will press Europe to give way on Australian producers' use of the geographical names feta and prosecco for the cheese and wine as he revives crucial trade talks with the bloc, and adds he won’t compromise Australian agricultural interests.

The Prime Minister will meet European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration in Rome on Sunday, with the hope of clinching a fresh trade deal in the face of Donald Trump’s global tariff war.

Anthony Albanese in Rome with Australia's ambassador to the Holy See, Keith Pitt. Picture: Lydia Lynch

A proposed free-trade agreement between the EU and Australia crumbled in late 2023 after the Australian government walked away from what farmers ­described as a “dud deal”.

The main hurdle for Australia was the EU’s restrictive conditions and quotas on Australian agricultural products, particularly sugar, beef and lamb, as well as the bloc’s determination to limit use of geographical food and drink terms such as feta, prosecco and romano.

As revealed by The Australian earlier this month, the government is offering to axe the $5.2bn luxury car tax to secure an agreement with the EU.

The stumbling block in previous negotiations “was very much agriculture”, Mr Albanese said ahead of his talks with Ms von der Leyen as he looks to secure greater access to European markets for Australian food products.

“We’re up for a deal, but not any deal at any price,” he said.

“We’re up for a deal that’s in Australia’s national interest. The last time around, we weren’t able to achieve breakthroughs on agriculture.

“There’s been years of negotiation, and I think the Europeans now know that unless there’s a deal that’s in Australia’s national interest, then we won’t sign up.”

Mr Albanese said much of Australia’s prosecco and feta was produced by people with European heritage, which is “that’s something that the Europeans should be proud of”.

“We’re a multicultural nation, and so we will put forward sensible propositions on that,” he said.

“The idea that you still produce feta, but you call it something else, doesn’t change what it is.”

The 27-member bloc, which includes France, Germany, Italy and Greece, was Australia’s third largest trading partner in 2023, with two-way trade valued at $106.2bn.

Europe is facing 25 per cent tariffs from the US on its steel, aluminium and cars as well as 10 per cent across-the-board levy on the rest of its exports.

While Mr Albanese said he did not anticipate any “big announcement” after talks with Ms von der Leyen on Sunday, renewing negotiations at a “leader level” would be helpful.

“We have good products, that’s why they’re in demand, not because people particularly like the flag of the country they’re from, it’s because of the quality of the products.

“So Australia is in a position, I think, to secure an arrangement, I certainly hope that that’s the case.”