PRIME MINISTER 44/ 95
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING MP
FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND
THE EUROPEAN UNION
Senator McMullan, who is leading the Australian delegation to the
Australian/ European Commission ( EC) Ministerial Consultations in Brussels will today
raise with EC Vice President Sir Leon Brittan, the development of a formal framework
for future relations between Australia and the European Union.
Last month, I wrote to EC President Santer to propose that Australia and the
European Union develop such an agreement in order to strengthen the already healthy
ties between us.
This follows on from fruitful discussions that I held in Brussels in June last year with
the then EC President Delors and some of his commissioners. An agreement would
help stimulate closer cooperation on trade and investment issues, and closer dialogue
on the many common economic and social policy issues that EU countries and
Australia face.
The European Union is a very important partner for Australia and a major source of
foreign investment. Two members the United Kingdom and Germany are among
our top ten trading partners. During my visit to Germany and the Netherlands in
March as to the United Kingdom and France last year I impressed on their leaders
the opportunities that restructuring and growth in the Australian economy offered
European companies, and Australia's value as an investor in Europe and supplier of an
increasingly diverse range of exports. This was underlined by the success of Australia's
participation in CeBIT, the world's largest information technology fair, at Hannover
earlier this year.
Apart from the prospects for expanding bilateral economic links, I emphasised that, as
a confident, competitive and technologically advanced economy closely integrated with
the Asia-Pacific region, Australia was ideal as a base for European business operating
in the region.
The Government's proposal of an agreement reflects our recognition of the important
interests Australia has in Europe. An agreement will help us build new and dynamic
relations with the European Union and its member States into the next century.
CANBERRA May 1995
Keating, Paul
Period of Service: 20/12/1991 - 11/03/1996
Find more information on Keating, Paul on the:
Release Date:
15/05/1995
Release Type:
Media Release
Transcript ID:
9586
Document:
00009586.pdf
1 Page(s)
Released by:
- Keating, Paul John
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING MP FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION
9586