EU official says Aussie trade deal delayed by French snub
ABC News
A European Parliament trade official says Australia’s cancellation of a French submarine contract will complicate and delay negotiations on an Australian-European Union free trade deal
CANBERRA, Australia -- Australia’s cancellation of a French submarine contract will complicate and delay negotiations on an Australian-European Union free trade deal, a European trade official said Tuesday.
Australia’s decision to end the 90 billion Australian dollar ($66 billion) deal was “kind of an attack against European interests," said Bernd Lange, a German lawmaker and the chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade.
“It is more complicated,” Lange told Australian Broadcasting Corp. of the negotiations following the French snub.
“The question of trust is now occurring and some members could ask for more safety nets and more safeguards in such an agreement, so I guess the dialogue and the negotiation will take more time,” Lange added.
