Murray Watt promises not to ‘sell out’ farmers as EU trade deal fails to progress

Australia “won’t sell out” its farmers in exchange for a sub-par free trade agreement with the European Union, Agriculture Minister Murray Watt says.

After more than five years of negotiations, Trade Minister Don Farrell left Brussels earlier this week without a signed agreement, as both sides failed to break the deadlock.

At the heart of the stalemate is Australia’s refusal to back down on the naming rights the EU wishes to place on certain products, which would mean Australian-made prosecco, feta, mozzarella and parmesan could not be called that.

Australia argues that because so many European immigrants have brought culture and food processes to Australia, the names should not be restricted to European geographical locations.

A free-trade agreement with the European Union would be worth up to $100bn, and open up access for Australian producers and farmers to a market of 250 million people.

Senator Watt said there was “a lot more to it” than just the naming rights issue, saying that Australia’s “fundamental position” was that it could not sign up to a deal that didn’t deliver “genuine benefits to Australian farmers and our national interests”.

“We’re not going to sell out our farmers. We’re not going to sell out our national interest just for the sake of getting a deal,” Senator Watt told ABC Radio.

“Other countries have done that and they’ve lived to regret it.”

National Farmers Federation chief executive Tony Maher, who had been travelling with Senator Farrell, applauded Senator Farrell’s determination.

“We’re hopeful that with some grit and goodwill from both sides we can get this thing done in a way that benefits everyone, including Aussie farmers,” he said from Brussels on Tuesday.

“We applaud Minister Farrell and the negotiating team for rejecting a substandard deal.

“Australia should not have to accept a deal which is inferior to that of other countries. We’re confident that through continued engagement we can achieve the fair market access outcomes sought by Aussie farmers.”

Asked whether he believed the deal was “dead”, Senator Watt backed Senator Farrell in saying there is still a fighting chance of the two parties reaching a mutually beneficial agreement.

“He (Senator Farrell) remains committed to negotiating this, as does the Prime Minister, as does I,” Senator Watt said.

“We’re going to leave no stone unturned to try to get the best deal that we possibly can for Australia.”

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flagged that Australia could walk away from the table if the EU failed to make more concessions.

Mr Albanese was in Lithuania this week for the NATO summit but met with European leaders on the sideline to discuss the deal.

“We want to conclude this agreement, but we won’t be signing up to things that are not in Australia’s national interests,” he said ahead of a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Senator Watt said there was a lot in the deal for the EU “as well”.

“We’re certainly prepared to keep talking with the EU to get the best deal for Australia, and we certainly hope that they are prepared to do the same from their perspective,” he said.