Europe looks east to counter Trump's tariffs and fear of Russia
Australian business leaders welcomed the plans from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for closer ties with Asia, seeing it as a step towards cutting trade barriers on cars, food and investment.
The trade agenda is being shaped by concerns in Europe on the economic conflict with the US over tariffs and the military threats from Russia, leading it to seek stronger alliances with like-minded nations.
In a clear overture to Asia, the EU president has declared her interest in opening Europe to one of the world's largest trade blocs, known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which includes Australia, as well as Japan, South Korea and Canada.
Australian leaders, speaking during a delegation to Europe, said the EU was looking for 'fellow travellers' to shore up its security.
'There is now something of an imperative for this,' said Duncan Lewis, the former Australian ambassador to NATO, former head of ASIO and now the chair of the European Australia Business Council (EABC).
'We do need to move together and operate together with the EU so that commerce can move freely, investment can move more freely, and produce such as agricultural goods can move more freely.
'But all of that is, of course, underpinned by this fact that Europe now feels threatened.'
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