Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour)
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146. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans for a free trade agreement between the EU and Australia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10594/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The EU and Australia formally conduct their trade and economic relations under the EU-Australia Partnership Framework of October 2008. This aims, among other trade related matters, to facilitate trade in industrial and agriculture related products between the EU and Australia by reducing technical barriers, including assessment procedures. This partnership covers dialogue about technical barriers to trade and encouraging mutual recognition of conformity assessment procedures, with the objective of reducing the costs of testing and certification of products exported to and imported from Australia.

The Framework Agreement also enables both parties to exchange information on their respective trade policies, the Free Trade Agreements they are negotiating and to build on their shared interests in mutual cooperation to strengthen and broaden the multilateral trading system through the World Trade Organisation. The Framework Agreement provides for regular dialogue on issues of mutual interest or concern that may be considered within a multilateral framework.

Since early 2012, Australia and the EU have been negotiating a formal Framework Agreement that contains a number of economic and trade cooperation provisions. I would welcome a trade agreement that provides for an expansion of trade opportunities for exporters while providing an overall stimulus to economic recovery.

However, at this time, there are no plans for negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Australia. The matter is not on the immediate work programme for the EU Commission, which is responsible for negotiating these agreements.